Conflicted
by lookingforwaifu
Summary: Harry is living on the outskirts of London after Voldemort takes over. Having hid his magic from Hermione he's forced to use it. Eventually participating in the Triwizard Trials, Voldemort's daughter Athena takes an interest in him. Selected as her personal Royal Guard he's forced to obey her to keep Hermione safe. A king is never left without resistance however. AU.
1. Chapter 1 - Dark Days

**Conflicted**

 **Dark Days**

Chapter 1

* * *

Darkness. It was both calming and frightening. Event's could be unfolding right before your eyes and you wouldn't see. Plots, that could shape your world happening in the shadows. But for one boy, the pitch black nights were a sought after release. The cool breeze that caused the tree's to softly sway flowed over his skin. He wasn't cold, he was rarely ever cold. The boy was sitting on the front step of a tiny cottage in a now deserted village in Camberwell, a little outside of London. It was a tiny place, only 2 rooms with one being a very small bathroom; a small bathtub was squeezed into the corner and a toilet and sink beside it. The now residents of the cottage often wondered why someone would build something so small to begin with, and where had they gone? There was no electricity of course, but thankfully the plumbing was still working. The once red clay tiled roof that sheltered it's inhabitants from rain often leaked and let in all of the cold air. The walls were in a constant state of repair and windows often rattled in the wind.

The boy however, didn't care. It was his home, had been in fact for 4 years now and most importantly, he was alive. These days that was a lucky thing, deaths were common, people disappearing suddenly was even more common. He wasn't alone however. He didn't think he would have coped if he was alone. Often woken by strange images and nightmares that plagued his sleep he imagined himself going crazy. He had a partner however. Not in the romantic sense but a partner to keep the nightmares at bay, to talk too and keep each other company. Someone he could depend on and someone he could share his secrets with.

There was one secret he hadn't shared, however. He wanted too, more than anything; but he knew the moment he shared that secret their partnership would be over.

The boy let his head hang low, his arms resting on the inside of his legs and his hands almost touching the chipped wooden step. The small shift of weight causing the wooden step to creek quietly in the night. He looked defeated, at his limit. He had the same internal battle almost every night. Should he come clean? Should he destroy the only precious thing he had left? He couldn't, every night he couldn't bring himself to do it.

He slowly opened the tightly balled fist he was making in his right hand. Holding it up slightly from the ground with his palm up he thought about light, and how much he missed it's reassuring presence and as if by magic a small ball of light appeared in the palm of the boys hand. A soft white light, no bigger than a marble. It churned and rotated slowly in his palm, as if it was a miniature sun. He concentrated more and the ball of light grew larger, now the size of an apple. He cast a quick look over his shoulder, careful not to create too much light and wake his partner who was slumbering in bed. Staring back at the ball of light he thought about this special gift. Magic. It wasn't uncommon. Most of the people in the country could do it, but it wasn't something you advertised however, not unless you had a seal anyway.

All residents were required to have a seal otherwise they were considered outsiders, often deemed not to be needed by Voldemort or his henchmen. The seals were a solid gold pin in the shape of a shield with a snake running along the edge with a V etched at it's centre. There were a lot of rumours surrounding the seals, but the boy didn't have one so he didn't much care. A few people even sold them, being made of pure gold they fetched a fairly good price. It came at it's own cost however and without the seal you were essentially not a citizen in this crazy country.

Voldemort. The man responsible. What the boy wouldn't do to get a shot at him. If it weren't for him, and his rise to power he might not even be in this mess. His partner would still be with the family that now didn't exist. Killed, purely because they resisted the non-magical stigma that came with Voldemort's uprising. Millions were killed, even magical people. A few rose up against Voldemort but any resistance however was crushed. He was the most powerful wizard to have ever existed, or so he claims. No one has been about to prove otherwise.

The boys memories turned to his dreams. He has strange dreams, it was if he was viewing someone else's memories but he couldn't place who. They were blurry, a lot of the time. As if being viewed behind distorted glass. The other times, his sleep was filled with the nightmares. Large scenes of burning buildings and people screaming. Flashes of light coming from this way and that. He remembered a woman, with red hair that could put the huge flames of fire behind her to shame as she spoke to him, he couldn't tell what she said though. It was fragmented, only hearing bits and pieces but none of it making sense. Often times, in times where he was alone or scared he thought about her. He assumed she was his mother, it was the only thing he knew he was right about when it came to his dreams.

He didn't remember his family, or anything actually. It was as if he just appeared in the dark street, alone and scared. He didn't like thinking about those times. Times when he was truly afraid, afraid to die. He'd called out to his parents, struggling to remember their names. His head hurt and he felt sick. He was only 13. It didn't take him long to realise he was truly alone. It would be another year before he met his partner and found the cottage. That year was a tough one. He had a crash course in magic having witnessed men and women in strange cloaks doing horrible things to people in the streets. Hidden in the shadows all he could do was wait for it to be over so he could move on and try and find food and water. He remembered almost freezing every night having desperately knocked on the doors of every house still standing. He never got a reply.

"Harry?" A gentle voice said from the doorway behind him.

Harry jumped at the voice and clamped his hand shut, frozen stiff. It was a good thing he'd lost concentration, the ball of light had only been the size of a pea when she had come out so it was unlikely she would have seen anything. He relaxed slightly when she didn't say anything. He could hear the tell tale signs of her just waking up, but not _really_ being awake. Not enough to function properly anyway. She was always a heavy sleeper where as Harry was a light sleeper.

"Hermione. I thought you were asleep?" He asked her calmly, trying to keep his voice steady. He twisting his body so he could look at her.

The young brunette was rubbing her eyes with her hands. Her hair was in a ponytail but a few strands had escapes and were pointing this way and that. She was wearing shorts and a jumper that was a little too big for her. One of Harry's old ones. It had patches and holes in it, but it was always one of the more warmer jumpers. Hermione dropped her hands from her eyes and looked at him sitting on the step, the sleeves of the jumper falling over to cover her hands.

"I'm cold." Was all she said as she looked at him. Her bare legs had goosebumps on them and she was moving her toes ever so slightly as if trying to hold in shivers. Harry was often used as a portable heater in the rougher weather.

Smiling softly Harry stood up, the wooden step creeking more in protest. If a girl said that while dressed like that to other guys she would probably get a different response. Harry however, valued her above anything and he wouldn't make a stupid mistake; not that he doesn't have to stop himself sometimes. She was fairly innocent in a lot of ways.

"Sorry, sorry. I'll come back." Harry said with a small chuckle, throwing some humour into his voice to keep the few tears that had threatened to fall at bay.

He placed his hands on her shoulders and spun her around before gently pushing her back inside the cottage. She didn't resist at all and Harry was glad. It meant she was far to sleepy to have seen anything, no matter how small the risk had been. Closing the drafty wooden door and sliding the large bolt lock on the door into place behind him he stepped into their home.

On the immediate left, the bed, which Hermione was currently climbing back into was a few feet in the air, balanced on 4 wooden beams. The beams had extra wood nailed into, for extra strength as the weight of 2 eighteen year olds. It had started to creak one day, which happened to almost everything in the house but Harry didn't want to take the chance of collapse. Under the bed, which being higher up gave a decent amount of space back to the room was all of their things. A few badly beaten and torn bags and rucksacks lay neatly in rows. All Hermione's doing, Harry wasn't that delicate with his things and where he placed them; much to her dismay and grumblings. This included all of their clothes and belongings. Hermione had more than him, having actually known her family and she had managed to salvage a lot before they fled their house before her parents were killed. Next to the bags were some brown paper bags with food in, not a lot but enough to keep them going for a few days. The back wall was were their sink and a small counter which served as their only kitchen space. To the right of that was their washing. Harry had salvaged some wood from the burned down house a little ways down the road and created a makeshift clothes horse. They had both gotten used to seeing each others underwear, although they tried to avoid those kinds of topics. It was always an embarrassing day when they had to go and salvage clothes from half destroyed shops in London.

Harry took his worn brown boots off and placed them by the door next to Hermione's much smaller pair of Converse. He pulled his socks off and threw them into one of his bags under the bed, followed by his jeans. Leaving his t-shirt on he climbed the small ladder and laid down next to Hermione on his back. He turned his head to look at her, she was already asleep again. Her soft breathing the only sound he could hear; minus the creaking cottage they lived in of course. Harry reached out and moved a few pieces of her hair that were slowly falling to her lips and tucked them behind her ear. Hermione reached out and pulled his arm towards her and she smiled as the familiar warm presence made itself known. The cold didn't really affect Harry all that much, he would be fine even without a blanket. He wasn't completely sure why, but he could at least sum it up to the magic in him doing something.

Finally feeling himself being tired he tucked the blankets around Hermione more as she gripped his warm arm and he settled his head back on the pillow they shared. Her warm breath dangerously close to his ear.

 _Self control, Harry_. He thought to himself before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Hermione awoke suddenly to the sound of a large explosion. "Ow!" She cried as her head hit the ceiling, forgetting where she was for a moment. She tried to determine how far away it was, it didn't sound very close but it was still loud enough to wake her up. Rubbing her head with her hand and the throbbing pain slowly disappeared.

The noise now declared not to be a danger she turned her head to the empty space next to her.

 _He's gone to work,_ she thought.

She would often awake to find Harry gone. It had taken awhile to get used to the fact she was alone in this tiny cottage without knowing what was happening out there. Harry often knew, although she still wasn't sure how he knew so much. She did know that he went into London sometimes when she was asleep, and she didn't like that idea. Harry was still very much a mystery to her but he was her only lifeline and friend now and didn't want to bring to many things up incase she drove him away.

Looking down at herself she saw all the blankets tucked around her, it was still giving off some warmth. Hugging it tightly she fell back onto the pillow and looked up at the ceiling. She was still nervous every day about sharing a bed with Harry. It was her that had suggested it, feeling terrible about Harry sleeping on a bed of worn blankets on the floor every night. The first night had been incredibly awkward. Neither of them knew where they should be putting their limbs until Harry started to laugh and say how stupid they were being. He told her he trusted her and she should trust him, and that's what she did. These days, if Harry didn't have work she would wake up finding herself half draped over him. He always seemed to wake up last in these cases but she knew he was faking it so he didn't disturb her.

Slapping both her cheeks lightly she pulled the blankets off of her and climbed down the small ladder that Harry had repaired more times than he would ever admit. Jumping from the ladder on the last step she lightly hit the wood floor. She took a quick peak into Harry's main rucksack and saw his spare set of clothes gone which confirmed to her that he had indeed gone to work.

They were exceptionally fortunate that Harry even had work. He worked for a farmer down at Forest Hill who supplied the Voldemorts castle in Scotland with bread and other things. He had found the farm one day and tried to take some bread but was caught. Instead of being reprimanded however the old farmer offered him a job, saying he employed a few others his age who were out here. Harry of course, took the job. They got a little money that the wizards used, Harry told her it wasn't much though. They did however get some bread and other food which helped a lot.

For the most part, Hermione spent her time reading the few books she had managed to pack before fleeing her house. Harry sometimes came home with one, it would be a little banged up but she'd read them all anyway.

As she got dressed she thought about what she wanted to do today. It was Monday which meant some of the shops in London would be open. There were a few wizard and non-wizard shops still around or that popped up after Voldemort had taken over and let the secrecy of magic fall as he took to power. She had learnt the non-magicals were called muggles, she wasn't happy about the name; it seemed like they used it in a derogative way. She had Harry though, another rock in the pond; or rather a stormy sea.

Staring at her rucksack next to Harry's that she used when she was out and about she contemplated on going alone. Harry always told her to wait for him to get back but he was always dead on his feet after working on the farm and she felt terrible for then having him go with her. He never complained, but that just made her feel worse; nothing bad ever happened and they avoided the wizards when they could.

Plucking up her courage at going against what Harry had said, which usually was for her benefit, she pulled her jacket on and slung the backpack onto her back. Putting her Converse on by the front door she pulled the bolt lock back, briefly wondering how Harry managed to get it closed every time he left. She closed the door behind her as she stepped onto the tiny front deck. No one was around, or really knew anyone was living out here so she didn't bother trying to lock the door; not that she would be able to open it from the outside anyway. Harry only did it when he left because she knew he was worried about her being alone. These thoughts made her feel guilty again at what she was doing but she countered it by thinking about what she was going to get him for his birthday. She had been secretly saving where she could, which wasn't a lot; but enough to get him a small gift if she would find something. It was July 20th so she didn't have much time. Taking a look at her battered watch, which was actually a present from Harry she made her way down the road.

It took her about 20 minutes to get to Walworth Road and from there she carried on for another 20 minutes until she reached the south of London. Unfortunately London wasn't what it used to be, once a busy city was now almost a ghost town. Ruins of the buildings and houses littered the land and people kept together in small groups and traveled quickly. She gripped the straps of her backpack as she made her way down the narrow streets, looking this way and that. It was a little further until she got to where people were selling things. Their wasn't any shops muggle shops anymore, not that she knew of anyway. She did know that there were wizard ones, you had to have a seal however to even get in. You'd be reported if you even tried to walk through the door without one on display.

Hermione made it without incident, and without any appearances of Death Eaters, who patrolled the city and country. There were more people here, walking up and down the long street. Either side was filled with wooden stalls filled with items from food to trinkets. Wizards often tried to fool muggles into buying dangerous items and Hermione had heard some stories where they died.

She looked around the stalls, buying some vegetables and soup. Harry would most likely bring back some more bread so they would be able to have a pretty good dinner this evening. Everything was pretty expensive but the most expensive thing she could think of were clothes. Most places in London had been burnt down, and that meant a lot of clothes and fabric had been destroyed. The country was essentially walled off from the rest of the world too so trading was out of the question. If the outcasts got anything, it was because Voldemort let it happen. She stopped at one of the little clothes stalls anyway, she always did when Harry brought her.

Lifting a green jumper that looked like it would fit her she asked the man tending the staff how much it cost.

"Two sickles. You buyin' it?" The man said rudely, he didn't look like he was in a good mood.

Hermione reached into her pocket and pulled out her remaining money. She only had a sickle and 3 knuts left.

"Ah.. Actually no, sorry." She replied and put the jumper down. It looked nice, it reminded her of Harry's eyes as embarrassing as that was. Warmth was the quality she actually cared about however. As she turned around the man grabbed her wrist.

"Look girl, I need the sale. I'll let you off and sell it to you for a sickle." He said angrily.

His grip on her wrist was painful as she tried to tug herself free.

"S-Sorry but that would leave me with nothing… I don't have enough, you're hurting me."

She tried to keep her voice steady but she was honestly scared now. This had never happened before, but then she'd never been out alone; she always had Harry with her. The altercation was attracting attention in the semi-crowded street but no one looked like they would step in on her behalf. Everyone looked out for themselves now, which she couldn't blame them for. The mans grip hadn't loosened and her wrist was really starting to hurt as she continued to try and tug herself free.

"L-Look," Hermione started to say over his loud accusations of her wasting his time. "I just asked a question, I've changed my mind. _Let. Me. Go!_ " Angry and in pain she then did something she'd never done before and punched him square in the stomach. She didn't think she had a very strong punch but the man let go and she instantly started rubbing her wrist as she moved away. The man recovered quickly however and looked livid, he walked up to her quickly and slapped her hard across the face causing her to fall onto the ground.

A soft crunching sound could be heard as she landed on her back, crushing her rucksack behind her. Slightly dazed by the hit Hermione tried to stand but found herself frozen in fear. The man's face, now in pure rage, was bearing down on her. People in the street continued to watch but no one intervened. It was at this point that Hermione fully regretted coming alone. She'd be an idiot, their world wasn't as kind and innocent as it was before and she wasn't very strong or fast. Hermione watched, tears now falling down her face as the man raised his fist. She closed her eyes and waited for the impact, but it never came. The sound of the man screaming in pain caused her eyes to snap back open however.

He was on the ground now, withering in pain as his muscles spasmed. Pulling her eyes off the main she looked to her right and saw a tall figure in a black robe white mask. A Death Eater. One of Voldemort's lackys. Hermione tried to slowly edge away from them both but the figures head moved to look at her. The figure looked her up and down, looking for a seal. When he didn't find one however he lowered the wand he was holding at the seller on the floor and pointed it at her.

"What filth do we have here huh? Causing trouble are we muggle?" He said mockingly from behind his mask.

Hermione was internally panicking as she stared at the man's wand. Images started appearing in her mind from when their house was set on fire. Her parents handing her the rucksack and telling her to run.

"Please…" She begged, trying to form a sentence but couldn't. She wanted to explain, this whole thing wasn't her fault.

It didn't matter though, the Death Eater simply laughed and stepped forward. Hermione's usual quick and intelligent brain was still reeling from what happened before and it was grinding to a halt more and more. Her eyes never left the wand the man was holding, his laughter ringing in his ears.

"Cruci-" The man had begun to say but was suddenly cut off when a fist connected to the side of his head and he staggered to the ground, wand flying out of his hand and rolling under one of the stalls.

Hermione looked up, eyes wide.

* * *

"So how's that blonde you live with working out for you?"

"She's a brunette Sam, and fine thank's." Harry said to his friend. He wasn't actually sure if he should be calling Sam his _friend_. They worked together and got on well together. Harry didn't trust him enough yet to give Hermione's name away, or where they lived for that matter. He didn't trust anyone fully.

They were currently lifting bales of wheat from the back of a trailer and into a storage shed. Small chatter was what got them through the work. It wasn't exactly hard, but it was fairly taxing on the body. Sam was a little scrawnier than Harry was, but it wasn't like Harry was huge or well built. Modestly defined he'd class himself as.

"Sure. So you too like, going out or whatever yet?" Sam said as he threw down a large bale into Harry's awaitng arms.

Harry grabbed the two corners that were wrapped around the bale and carried it into the open shed. "We're not dating or anything. We've never really talked about it actually. I think it would be too awkward though."

Sam took a break and sat down on one of the bales in the trailer. "Why? You're basically a married couple you know, living together alone and all that."

Standing up and leaning his back against the trailer Harry stared at the bales they'd already loaded into the shed.

"She's not like any of the girls you talk about Sam. She's, innocent." He said, trying to find the right words. He hated these conversations but Sam was the only person he spoke too apart from Hermione so he didn't exactly want to push him away.

"Oh. So she's never done it before?"

Harry was caught off guard by how Sam had taken it. "Of course not! I meant, you know, she doesn't think about that kind of thing. We're just happy to be around each other, have each others backs, you know?"

"Well I think you're a fool for hiding your feelings for her."

Harry ignored that comment and told him to get on with the bales or Mr. Jones wasn't going to be very happy with them. He was a nice man, but he played by the notion that if you didn't do the work, you wouldn't get the money. Which Harry agreed with, as much as he needed the money and food.

They continued the work, with Sam throwing the bales down and Harry carrying them into the shed. It didn't take to much longer for them to clear that trailer and Sam had to drive it back to collect the next lot from the few other guys on the farm working for Mr. Jones. As Harry had nothing to do until Sam got back with the next load of bales he walked inside the shed and sat down on the floor, resting his tired back and legs.

He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. He had felt it ever since the morning but couldn't think of anything that he'd forgotten or could go wrong. Deciding it was just his mind playing tricks on him he tried to catch a few minutes of sleep. Closing his eyes he let his head fall back against a bale of wheat. " _You're hiding your feelings."_ Sam's voice rang out through his mind. If Harry was honest with himself, he did have feelings; they started a year ago. He'd accidently walked in on Hermione taking a bath. He'd never forget how beautiful she had looked. Her long wet hair clingy to her body as the soapy water slid down her arms and legs. The small light making her skin glisten. He _had_ come away with a large lump on his head from where she'd thrown wooden handled loafer at him but it had been the moment that sparked his feelings for her. He imagined he always liked her to an extent, but he'd always buried it deeply as to not ruin what they had already. He wasn't sure if his feelings would be well received. She was hard to read, if he was honest.

Before he could think on it more he was rudely woken by a soft kick on his right leg.

"Oi, wakey wakey. I'm not doing this myself you know." Sam said with a smirk as he turned around and climbed the back of the trailer.

Muttering under his breath Harry resumed his task. About an hour later, Mr. Jones arrived in one of his old tractors. He stopped the engine and climbed the small steps that allowed him to exit it. Walking over with a brief wave to Harry and Sam he checked inside the shed.

"Look's good. Did it in good time too, I'll give you a bit extra for it today." Mr. Jones said which was received well as Harry and Sam high fived.

"Thank you very much Mr. Jones." They both coursed. He waved the thanks down.

"There ain't no such thing as free money, but hard work is always rewarded. Here." He reached into his pockets and gave them both 10 sickles each. "Take tomorrow off too, yah both worked hard last week."

Mr. Jones waved down the flood of thanks again before giving them both a small wave and leaving back to his farm house. "Sam, don't forget to park that thing where you found it!" He yelled out the window.

"How goods that, eh?" Sam said happily as he walked back over to the tractor he'd used to tow the trailer. "You want to hang out or anything tomorrow?" He asked Harry.

Harry thought about it for a second, it was rare that they ever hung out outside work but then he thought of something. "Nah, sorry. I think we'll be doing a little shopping. Stock up on some things."

Sam simply shrugged and hopped up into the tractor seat before driving off with the now empty trailer behind it.

Deciding he better head home he shoved his pocked in his jean pockets and made his way out of the farm and towards the now deserted road he took home. He didn't mind working for Mr. Jones, Hermione wasn't sure about it but so far it had worked out for them. _I wonder what Hermione is doing,_ he thought. The last time he came home early, the bath scene had happened. He quickly stamped down the hope for a second interaction. It wasn't a very far walk from Forest Hill back to their little cottage but it was always a welcome break from everything though, much like how he would sit outside in the dark.

One thing Harry had stumbled on was the ability to sense when anyone was near. It didn't seem to affect a very large area but it was enough that he was always confident he hadn't been followed. They had a couple of neighbours fairly close to their cottage but they all kept to themselves and rarely bothered each other. There had only been one time that Harry knew of where a fairly young couple had asked if they had any spare clothes. It had been a very cold winter, so he couldn't blame them for reaching out. Not everyone had the same chances Harry had been given.

It didn't take much longer to reach the cottage and then the front door. Harry reached out and grabbed the door handle. As soon as he gripped the handle he felt his stomach drop. Something was wrong. Opening the door quickly he rushed inside, checking the place bed, empty. Kitchen space, empty. Bathroom, empty. His last look around was at the bags under the bed and he instantly noticed Hermione's traveling one was missing. Before his mind had even fully processed what that meant he was running out of the door, not even bothering to check if he'd locked it.

He ran as hard as he could into London. The days exhaustion batted aside with his panic for finding Hermione. _Idiot, idiot!_ He said to himself over and over again. Half of it was at her and half was it him. He knew she was impatient, and that she thought she could handle things herself, it was only a matter of time before she thought about venturing off on her own. He knew differently. He saw what happened in the streets and the abuse people faced at the hand of Voldemort's henchmen. He tried to keep it all from her as best he could. Perhaps that had been a mistake.

Reaching the entrance to their usual shopping route he stopped for a few seconds, his hands resting on his knees as he sucked in lungfuls of air as he thought out a search plan. She could be anywhere. _What if something happened to her?_ That thought turned into many others, each one more horrible than the last. He wouldn't know what he'd do if something happened to her. Clenching his fists he stood up straight and continued to run in the direction of their usual route. Thankfully he'd spotted a small crowd where everyone looked timid and scared. He searched through the people as he passed and eventually stopped dead as he looked at a girl laying on the ground with fear on her face and tears in her eyes. He saw the wand next and the words forming on the man's lips. He didn't know what spell it could be but he knew it would be bad. Without thinking he willed himself to move and he a split second later he was next to the hooded man and hit him as hard as he could in the side of the head.

He went down onto the ground, dazed and confused at what happened but Harry didn't give him anytime to recover. "Move. _Quickly_!" He said to Hermione as he pulled her to her feet. Grabbing her hand he ran down the street and took a right, looking over his shoulder every few feet to make sure he wasn't following. He couldn't rely on his other sense, he was too wired. He could barely think straight as it was let alone concentrate enough to use magic.

Further and further they ran, Hermione crying behind him. He thought he could hear her apologising as well but his ears were set to listen out for other noises. He had to prioritise her safety, apologising could wait.

As he rounded a corner Harry hit something solid and bounced back slightly. Instinctively moving to block Hermione he slowly began to move backwards.

"You're in for a world of pain, boy." The Death Eater from before, or another one, he couldn't tell said.

"Look this wasn't her fault, you harassed her for no reason." Harry didn't exactly know what happened but he _knew_ Hermione would never do anything to attract that kind of attention. She couldn't be a troublemaker even if she tried, Harry usually held that title.

Harry could hear Hermione softly crying behind him, her grip on his hand tighter than ever.

"Like I care what she even did anymore _boy_ , you assaulted me. You know who I am right?" He said menacingly. He pulled down the sleeve of his robe and showed them the mark all Death Eaters had, a skull with a snake coming from the mouth. It looked almost alive on the arm of the man threatening them.

"Now…" The Death Eather started to say as he played with his wand. "I have to kill you, of course. But I think I'll keep the girl." They were cornered now, the alley Harry had taken was a long one and they would be hit before then even tried running through the other side. Harry felt sick with how the man was talking about her. Hermione head was softly shaking against his back as she struggled to keep herself together.

Harry didn't say anything, he was trying to process all the possibilities he could in his head. They could run but they would be caught. He could still do it and try and take the hits while Hermione tried to escape, but then he knew she would never agree to that. That left him with only one choice, and it wasn't like the physical means he'd taken earlier. Magic. He didn't have a choice, but he also didn't know any spells. He'd practiced a bit at night and apart from creating light he could move objects around, he'd never tried anything the size of a person though.

 _Get it together Harry. Protect her, stuff keeping it a secret any longer._ Those were the thoughts now running through his head.

The Death Eater, who seemed to have had enough and grown impatient at the lack of responses raised his wand at Harry.

"Sorry Hermione." Harry said softly, which made her look up at the back of his head. Harry thrust his hand out in front of him and pushed as hard as he could with that feeling of magic he always felt when he practised. A faint golden barrier appeared before him, he pushed again as the green spell splashed harmlessly against it and the make shift shield flew forwards towards the man. It hit the Death Eater with such force that he flew a hundred feet and landed with a horrible sounding crunch.

Not wanting to stick around, and feeling like he'd just ran a marathon he turned around and pulled Hermione to follow him. He jolted back however as he saw Hermione was refusing to move.

"Hermione? Come on, we've got to go." He said impatiently. She was staring at the crumbled figure, tears no longer falling but her eyes were glistening in the light.

"I… I can explain later, but we need to get home. _Now Hermione!_ " He spoke the last words forcefully, not to be mean but to try and jolt her into action. It looked like it did the trick however when she turned and allowed him to pull her along. As they were running down the streets again Harry looked over his shoulder a few times and tried to see her face but she kept her head low and looking at the ground. All the guilt he'd been forcing down rose in himself quickly and in full force. _Idiot,_ he thought.

Eventually and what seemed like hours for Harry, they reached Camberwell Road and then their cottage just outside of the main town. He pulled open the door and scanned inside before gently pushing Hermione in. She didn't move, just stood in the middle of the room looking at the floor.

Harry removed her rucksack and placed it next to his in her usual spot before taking her jacket off and placing it down on top. Not really knowing what to do now he awkwardly stood behind her. Plucking up his courage he reached for her hand but she shrugged him off.

"Hermione…"

"I… I don't understand." Hermione said, interrupting him. She was still looking down at the ground and her hands were clenched into tight fists.

"I'm Sorr-" Harry began to say but was cut off again.

Hermione turned around and looked at him, her eyes watery and a single tear now fell down her face. "How long?" Was all she asked.

"A few years… But, I wanted to tell you; I really did!" He said quickly, hoping he could salvage it.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked. He was both amazed at how even her voice was but knew she was _very_ angry. "I thought we didn't keep secrets? I thought we trusted each other!" She finally yelled, shattering Harry's hope that she was going to be calm.

"I _do_ trust you! But… With everything that's happened, with your parents… Look what magic did, you _hate_ magic!"

"I hate the people that use it like Voldemort! What else haven't you told me?!" Hermione reached out and hit him in the chest, it wasn't very hard but Harry suspected she couldn't quiet control her arms at the moment.

"Just that. I swear… I only hid it from you because I was scared. Scared you'd leave me, when you found out what I am." Harry said quietly, and for the first time not able to meet her eyes.

He cast his gaze down to his shoes as he spoke. "I really am sorry. I did plan on telling you soon… I didn't know how to bring it up. I didn't want to ruin what we have." He said.

"And what do we have, Harry?" Hermione said. He could feel there was another meaning to that question but his brain wasn't working properly. Now he came to think about it he felt extremely drained and the strength in his legs was slowly failing.

He locked up, determined to convey to her that he meant what he was saying.

"We… I L-" Harry didn't get to finish his sentence however as the nauseating feeling that was clouding his mind finally hit him and he collapsed on the wooden floor.

* * *

A/N: Hello, this is the first story I've written. I might have missed some mistakes but I'm putting this up in draft form anyway. If you liked the first chapter and think it will be an interesting story please let me know and I'll continue it. I'm 50/50 at the moment on if it being received well.


	2. Chapter 2 - Planning Ahead

**Planning Ahead**

Chapter 2

* * *

Fire. It was burning everything, fire the likes he had never seen. People, there were people _fighting_ the flames. Magic was involved, he some how knew it but his mind couldn't really understand it. A man, tall and broad shoulders stood in front of the flames. He looked back and smiled before running forwards. Screaming, he could hear screaming. He didn't know where it was coming from but it sounded like a women. He was being dragged back now as he tried to reach out to the man. Who was he? A strong force spun him and he gazed at the silhouette of a woman before a large flash of white light erupted around him.

Harry woke with a start and sat bolt upright, his forehead glistened and the palms of his hands were moist as he breathed hard and fast. He'd never had a dream that vivid before. Sometimes his nightmares were bad but that dream felt like he was actually _there_.

"You're OK." The soft, quiet voice came from his right.

Turning his head slightly he saw Hermione sitting next to him. Feeling movement by his hand he saw Hermione move her hand into her lap to rest on top of her other one.

"Sorry." Harry said on reflex, he wasn't sure what he was apologising for.

Hermione wasn't quite meeting his eyes as he looked at her but she nodded. "You had another nightmare, right?" She asked, still speaking softly.

It was Harry's turn to nod and he pushed a hand through his hair.

"It wasn't a nightmare exactly... It was a dream, but… I'm not really sure what it was." He said, confused.

They were silent for a few minutes as neither of them could think of what to say to the other. Finally breaking the silence Hermione.

"We need to talk about it Harry." She said.

Harry instantly knew what she was referring too, and wasn't surprised in the least. Hermione wouldn't just let it go without an explanation, he was honestly surprised she hadn't left in the night. His dark reasoning was because she didn't have anywhere else to go.

He let his head hang low, it felt heavy and his head hurt but it was mostly because he was angry at himself. He should have told her sooner.

"I really am sorry, Hermione. I wanted… I wanted to tell you, I honestly did but… Every time I went too, I just couldn't. What if you left me?" He said all of this while staring down at himself while h sat upright in the middle of the floor, a blanket strewn over half of him.

The last question took Hermione by surprise. She had always seen Harry as being very strong willed and carefree. They'd been together years now but he never let it show that he was scared of anything.

 _Perhaps that was for my sake,_ she thought. She squeezed her hands together and looked up at him. He looked defeated and very weak.

"I'm not angry." She said, causing Harry to look up quickly with scepticism. "I mean… I was, I still am a little but what bothers me more is the fact you didn't tell me. I know you think what happened to me and my family caused me to resent magic but, it's more how someone uses it is the part I hate. I don't think I could ever really hate you Harry, but I want to understand." She tried to convey confidence in her voice but it still came out quietly, like she was scared of her own words.

Harry was quiet again for awhile and Hermione thought he was going to shut her out again. It was an annoying quality of his. While they had known and lived together for years she honestly still didn't know all that much about him, hell she didn't even know his last name; she didn't think _he_ knew his last name.

"It happened a few years ago." Harry suddenly said, causing her to forget about her thoughts and listen. She wasn't pleased that it had been _years_ ago but she let him continue. "I was out one night and ran into a couple Death Eaters near the river bank in London. They asked to see my seal but obviously I don't know one. I made a run for it but they must have hit me with a spell," Hermione wasn't liking this story already and vowed to have words about his night time prowling in the future. "And then it happened, I felt something in my hands… I can't describe it, maybe like pins and needles but, pleasant? I don't know what made me do it but I just lifted my hands at them and the next second they flew backwards and landed in a heap. I made a run for for it while they were all tangled up with their robes. Ever since, I practice outside while you're asleep. I can't do much though but I discover more all the time." He finished his speech and looked up at Hermione again, nervous of her reaction.

The first thing he noticed was the slight twitch in her eyebrow. The tell tale sign she actually _was_ mad, even if she said she wasn't. The clever part of his brain told him he probably shouldn't have admitted running around and getting caught by some Death Eaters.

"Mhmm." Was all Hermione said, now looking out the window and into the dark night. The soft moonlight hitting a part of the window.

 _Yep, she's mad_.

"No more night time wandering." She said, looking back at him. Harry nodded, a silent promise between the two. "And no more secrets." Again Harry nodded. "And I want you to show me." Harry made to nod again but stopped and looked up at her confused.

"I want you to show me your magic." She repeated, feeling nervous for some reason as she said it.

Harry stared at her for a few more seconds before snapping out of it. He lifted his hand up and held it out in front of her. Concentrating like he did at night he created the small glowing white sun he liked to produce. It wasn't as big as it normally started, but he put that down to being exhausted; he still felt terrible. He made a mental note to work on stamina.

Hermione stared incredulously at the floating orb in the palm of his hand. She lifted hers and held it out in front of it. It was warm, a comfortable feeling radiated off of it.

"Can… Can I touch it?" She asked nervously.

Harry instantly decided on going a little further, as if trying to prove he wasn't dangerous to her.

"Hold out your hand, like mine." He said and watched Hermione cautiously turn her hand so her palm was facing the ceiling.

He had never actually tried it, but he didn't think it wouldn't work. If after all his testing and practicing, he'd found magic was just an extension of his will. Tilting his hand above her slightly, the slowly spinning orb of light moved off his hand and floated an inch above hers. She jumped slightly when she felt what she could only describe as the weight, fall onto her hand. It was warm, she could feel that warmth flowing through her and she was momentarily lost for words as she stared down at the little floating sun.

"It's shrinking." She said, her brow furrowing.

Harry smiled for the first time since waking up. "I guess it's harder to keep it that size when it's not in my hand… I'm honestly not sure." He said as it dwindled out completely in her hand.

Hermione opened and closed her hand, still feeling the presence of Harry's magic in her hand and body. _He's right, it does feel like pins and needles_ She thought with a small smile.

Harry's mood instantly increased as he watched her, it was like watching a little kid discovering a toy. Her smile always brightened his day, it was one of the reasons he took on so many burdens himself. He always wanted her to smile and feel safe.

"I really am sorry, Hermione." He blurted out.

Looking up at him, not realising how lost in her own hand she had been she closed her fist and hit him as hard as she could in the arm; causing him to yell and rub it.

"I forgive you, but I won't next time." She said. Standing finally, after being on the floor for far to long as she didn't have the strength to lift Harry into the bed when he passed out she walked over to the window and looked up at where the moon was.

"We can still get some sleep before morning before you have work." She said.

Harry could hear in her tone that she hadn't _quite_ forgiven him completely, but he couldn't blame her. She was talking to him at least. Suddenly remembering what his boss had said he stood up too.

"I've actually got tomorrow off, for hard work and stuff…" He said trailing off and looking at Hermione properly.

She was wearing a tank top that was a little short around the waist, her belly button could be seen. Along with short, thin shorts which showed off a lot of leg she looked beautiful standing there with the moonlight behind her. Harry was lost in what he was seeing. It wasn't new, he'd actually seen her in _less_ ; as much as Hermione liked denying it ever happened. Perhaps his brain was still jumped from passing out but he'd never seen her quite like this, even if he couldn't put his finger on it.

Noticing he seemed to be staring Hermione blushed and cleared her throat.

"I-I'm going to bed…" She declared and hurriedly climbed the small wooden ladder leading up to it.

Harry made to follow but she turned her head at the top of the ladder and pointed to the pile of blankets on the floor where Harry had passed out.

"You're sleeping down there." She said firmly. Harry opened his mouth to ask why before she beat him to the punch. "As punishment for not telling me and then scaring me half to death when you collapsed." She climbed into the bed and pulled the blankets over herself, getting warm. She didn't say anything after that, and Harry couldn't exactly see her from down here but he could tell she was facing away from him out of pure stubbornness.

Letting out a small sigh he lied back down on the hard wooden floor, grumbling a few times about how his life was so unfair. Blowing out the candle that was flickering away beside him on a small wooden box he plunged the room into darkness. It wasn't a terribly cold night so it wasn't like he was going to be cold, it was uncomfortable though. He missed the old springy mattress already.

The room fell silent as they both tried to sleep, Harry's brain seemed to be wired all of a sudden even though his body felt like it had had bales of wheat dropped on it repeatedly. He concluded that suddenly using that much magic, which still felt silly to think about, wasn't a very good idea if his body couldn't handle it.

"I'm glad I found you in time Hermione. I'm happy you're safe, I'll always keep you safe." He said quietly and feeling embarrassed at saying it. Hermione didn't say anything however so Harry assumed she was asleep already.

Up in the bed, completely encased in blankets to keep warm, Hermione smiled into her pillow.

* * *

"He's busy."

The very curt voice came from a hooded figure standing in front of a grand looking dark oak door. The figure wasn't a Death Eater however. Voldemort's Royal Guard's were a much higher rank in the social hierarchy. Death Eaters were glorified minions now, long gone were they his inner circle. He stood there, straight backed with one hand in his robe pocket at the other at his side grasping his wand. Looking relaxed yet ready to cast the next second was actually a skill sought after in Royal Guards. They dressed in dark navy blue robes with gold accents. Highly skilled in magic, smart and often brutal without remorse.

"It's important, he's expecting me." The Death Eater before the Guard said impatiently.

The guard spun the wand in his hand and gave the Death Eater another look. He had the standard seal so he wasn't anyone special. Deciding to give in however as no one in their right mind would say Lord Voldemort was expecting them would lie about that. The punishment would be a very quick death, or a long strung out painful one; depending on the mood. He stood aside and flicked his wand quickly at the door which produced a soft click as the spell took effect and unlocked the door.

Bowing his head slightly to the Guard the Death Eater walked past and pushed on the now unlocked door. It creaked a little as he pushed, it was a heavy door. Once open he moved inside and tried to slow his heart rate. Only once in the man's life so far had he been in Voldemort's presence, and that was when he took the mark. Voldemort rarely presented himself to the public these days, instead leaving it up to his Guards or Death Eaters.

Having closed the door behind him which locked itself, he moved forwards.

The room was very dimly lit with a large thrown in the center seated behind a huge wooden desk. It had intricate carvings all over it and seemed to emit deathly vibes as if daring the person to come closer and see who was sitting behind it. The man moved closer and a foot away from the desk dropped to one knee and presented his wand on the floor in front of him.

"My lord, I apologise if I am interrupted. I had sent word ahead of time." The man said.

Word really _had_ been sent ahead. It was getting harder and harder if you wanted an audience with Voldemort. There were procedures now, you couldn't simple summon him. Those who did, well, they weren't around anymore.

A quill was placed on the desk and the large throne chairs leather creaked as Voldemort sat up straighter and took the man in. "Yes, I recall receiving a message. What is this _important_ news?" Voldemort said almost sarcastically. He didn't think anything was very important these days, in fact he found himself a little bored. The resistance had quieted down so there was only the boring political and day to day things left to do. He did a little research and experiments of course.

The kneeling figure guled at the tone of voice, praying his news which he was gambling on paid off. He hoped for some sort of reward, he'd take anything.

"Y-Yes," He said, clearing his voice as it broke slightly. "A few days, we ran into a muggle…"

Voldemort was already starting to tune out at the mention of a muggle but the man carried on.

"That's at least what we thought… That he was a muggle. Until he used magic, Mr lord…"

Again Voldemort still didn't look like he was listening, wizards and witches in hiding was very common now. He'd have them killed if they refused to join him.

"He didn't use a wand."

At those words Voldemort's eyes locked onto his and he felt a cold sharp pain in his head. He knew it would happen, but he still wasn't prepared for the feeling. Clenching his hands he rode the pain out until it finally stopped.

"Explain." Voldemort spat, now giving the man his full attention.

Knowing full well Voldemort had seen everything he was about to say he looked at Voldemort as he spoke.

"He was a boy, maybe seventeen or eighteen. Decent build, but there wasn't anything impressive about him. He was with a girl, she looked about the same age. She was causing a fuss in that makeshift muggle market. We were on patrol when we spotted it and we decided to… Intervene. That's when the boy appeared and took off with the girl. It wasn't until we cornered him that he used magic. We were c-caught off guard, my Lord."

Voldemort was still processing the mental images he'd extracted from the man's mind as he spoke. Ignoring the subtle excuse he asked a question.

"He used his hands, correct?" He asked the Death Eater, who nodded. "If he was backed into a corner it was most likely accident. I doubt the boy even knew he could do it…"

The Death Eater interrupted, a brave move. "But… My Lord, I assure you he seemed to know what he was doing-"

"I have witnessed the events. This information is of no use to me. You're dismissed." Voldemort said, cutting across him. He didn't even spare the man a second glance and was always back to his work before their appointment. The sound of his scratching quill was the only sound in the room for a few moments.

The man, his fists now clenched as tight as he could make them stood up and turned around. He took an immediate step back however as there was someone now standing in front of him. A beautiful girl. Long, dark hair that stretched down below her shoulders that was styled elegantly. One side of her fringe was platted and held to the side with a small red ribbon. She had bright blue eyes as she stared into the startled man. Her long black dress revealed a little too much cleavage and her small bare feet were wrapped in string heels.

"Athena. I thought I made it clear you weren't allowed in here."

The Death Eater spun around again, this time looking back at Voldemort who was no longer looking down at his desk. His cold eyes bore into the woman's behind her. The man gulped, he'd heard of Voldemort's daughter, said to be just as ruthless. She hadn't made that many appearances, it seemed Voldemort didn't want her out and about. Being a large target of the resistance that seemed fairly logical.

"Oh. But where's the fun in that, Father?" Athena said, her voice dripping in sarcasm.

 _She's ballsy,_ the frightened guest thought.

Not knowing which to look at he tried to back away a bit so as to not be standing in between them. As he took his fourth step back however he suddenly found he couldn't move. The girl was in front of him now and he instantly feared for his life as he stared, transfixed, at her deadly beauty. His eyes glanced back to Voldemort but it seemed to have grown bored of what was happening and was once again looking down at the paper on his desk.

"If… If you'll excuse me madam, I must leave." He said, his voice coming out much weaker than he would have liked.

"Oh…" Athena said, the sarcasm replaced with disappointment. Her hand reached his cheek and she held it there. It was deathly cold and for a few seconds he thought she might be an inferi.

"I'm not dead. I'm very, _very_ much alive." She said as if reading his thoughts. Her leg, which he hadn't noticed move was casually rubbing against his as she stared at him. The whole situation was hurting his head. He'd heard the rumours, about the men she brought back only for them to never return home.

"I really must be going now madam." He repeated, praying she would let him go. Perhaps in front of her father she wouldn't do anything crazy. That thought was quickly drowned out by whose daughter he was in the unfortunate presence of. He extracted himself from her, thanking any god that would listen if he could get out alive. He hurried towards the door, he didn't run but moved as quickly as a person could. A quick motion opened the door and he fled without looking back.

"Damn, I wanted to scare him more." Athena said, her mood instantly changing again. She sat down on the chair in front of her father. "I want to go out."

Voldemort ignored her, his attention still on his work in front of him. He really was growing tired of this, he was bored himself.

"Heard anything about old Dumbledore?" She asked casually. She was looking at her nails, which were painted black.

Voldemort sighed. He'd been doing that lately. He still didn't know what magic possessed him to have her. He was immortal, what use did he have for an heir? And a girl at that. Still, he knew she was powerful, she had to be; she inherited his abilities. Rough around the edges but deadly nonetheless.

They casually chatted, or what could be considered chatting for a little longer. Athena was the one mostly talking, she knew how much it annoyed her father. The fact he wouldn't let her out much under the pretense of she was in danger meant very little to her. She was however, looking forward to the Trials.

* * *

"No."

Harry groaned at Hermione's deadpan response. He'd asked the same question every day but she probably would never change her mind. Hermione was putting some jam, which they'd gotten from Harry's work, on some bread. She didn't even look up or let him finish the entire sentence before she replied.

"Hermione, I stand a pretty good chance; just think how much better our life would be! You could have all the books you wanted, a house that didn't leak.."

Standing beside her Harry saw her eye twitch and knew he may have gone a little too far this time with bringing it up. She placed the knife down and looked up at him with her arms crossed.

"And what makes you think you can even _think_ about competing in the Trials, Harry? People _die_!" She said.

"I've been practic-"

"Harry just because you've been using magic a little more now you're not scared to death of me finding out," He winced a little at that. "Doesn't mean you're suddenly a normal wizard or whatever. You face Death Eaters in that arena. We got lucky that one night, in a real fight where they know you can do magic what chance would you have? Be honest."

He was never great at arguing with her, mostly for the fact that she was generally always right in some way but the other reason was because he didn't want to cause any conflicts. When it came to safety or the cottage Harry usually had the last say, but everything else; Hermione was the boss.

"I just want you to have a better life." Harry said quietly, not meeting her eyes. He turned around, not feeling up to arguing today and walked towards the door.

"... _Harry_ -" Hermione began to say but the door closed behind him, cutting her off.

Walking down the dirt path from their small cottage Harry sat himself down by a cluster of trees near the road. It was a good spot. It gave the person sitting a good view of the area, but it was hard for people to see you. He thought back on what they were talking about. He wanted to compete in the Triwizard Trials. If he somehow won, they'd get whatever request they asked for. That was the prize for winning. He knew it was mostly a blood sport now, a way for Voldemort to be seen as all high and mighty. Only a few had ever actually won the Trials since it began, every single one of them asked to be rich; which thinking about it Harry couldn't condemn them for.

Harry knew what he would wish for, it's something he wanted more than anything and for once it was something he thought very hard about.

 _You should do it anyway_ , a voice said to him.

He'd been having these thoughts for awhile. He could pretend to go to work and instead get into the Trials some how. A condition was you couldn't own a seal, which was easy for Harry being considered a muggle. So the only difficult part was getting himself into the heart of London. Most contestants were people on the verge of death or would be killed otherwise. Voldemort saw it as a chance for them to redeem themselves but everyone knew it was just a sport for killing, to instill fear.

Harry also had a feeling that he _could_ win. He didn't know why, but deep down in his gut he could feel his magic now. A few weeks had passed since their little run in with the Death Eats and every day for hours Harry practiced using it and controlling it. He didn't know if he was learning correctly, there was no school for magic anymore. Voldemort only took on the strong and those who would bend to his will.

He seemed to be good at controlling things, he'd found. He could actually manipulate things like the ground to create small structures. They didn't last long. When he had first accidently made a dome around himself with the ground he thought of constructing a new, better home but after a few minutes it crumbled around him. He put it down to being an amature.

 _You could die._

That was the main force holding him back. The way Hermione said it every time he brought it up, made him feel guilty just to talking about it. He didn't think he would die. He actually had a plan if he thought his life was in danger. He smiled at himself. He'd had this feeling for a little while and he found it hard to explain. It was almost like a tugging sensation in his chest, like a force was trying to pull him somewhere. He imagined he could travel like the Death Eaters if he really concentrated. He knew they could appear and disappear anywhere they wanted too.

He decided there that he would try and enter. He was doing it for Hermione, it wasn't like he was trying to prove the world he was a somebody. That was what he told himself to keep the guilt at bay. The Trials were in two days, he had to be ready. Laying back against the cold ground, not that he felt it, he let himself drift off to sleep; hoping to catch a glimpse of the women in his dreams.

Two days later Harry awoke with a start, his eyes flying open and a bead of sweat on his forehead. Another nightmare. After each one he had that seem tugging sensation, he was too scared to let it through though. Letting out a sigh he looked down at his hand. Hermione was clutching it in her sleep, wrapped up in multiple blankets with her hair all over the place. Harry smiled, he could never get bored of waking up to it. Looking back at their connected hands however brought forth the guilt Harry had been festering for a few days. After today, she would have a better life, and he would tell her how he felt.

He squeezed her hand a little and it almost broke his heart when he saw a small smile cross her sleeping face. He didn't want these feeling right now, it was conflicting. He'd already spoken to his boss and gotten the day off, thankfully they were on good terms and the odd times he needed a day off he usually got it. The only other times he had taken days off was when Hermione was ill and he stayed home to keep an eye on her. The first winter they had in the cottage was a little brutal for her. Harry had never gotten ill in his life, as much of it he could remember.

Deciding he would get some breakfast ready Harry went to sit up but found he was being pulled back by their still interlocked hands.

"Five more minutes…" The sleepy voice of Hermione said.

Harry smiled but knew if they stayed all cuddled up he'd go back on his plan. Gently pulling his hand free he climbed down the ladder.

"Jerk." Hermione whispered as she pulled the blankets over her. She wasn't a morning person.

Harry made them both some sandwiches, leaving Hermione's wrapped in foil. The foil was so creased and cracked as it had been used over and over again. Deciding to sit on the floor he leaned his back against the wall as he ate. It was still early but he planned to leave soon. If he was going to make it into the heart of London he needed all the time he could get. Muggles could get there, but a lot of the time they were picked off for plain sport.

Getting lost in his food as he thought about the day Hermione finally descended from the bed. In her usual small shorts and baggy jumper she walked over to the counter where her food was. He could see her eyes weren't fully focused but that was normal.

He didn't know what possessed him to do it, but Harry stood and walked over to her. She was clumsily un-wrapping her food when he gently grabbed her arm and turned her around.

"Harry?" Shea asked groggily.

Harry didn't reply with any words. He kissed her, straight on the lips. He held it for awhile, hoping she wouldn't push him away; and she didn't. She dropped the still wrapped sandwiches on the floor and slowly put her arms around him. However before it could get any more intimate he pulled back. Hermione simply stood there in a daze, half asleep and now very confused.

She touched her lips with her small fingers, as if wondering if what had just happened _had_ happened. Harry was already at the door, not trusting himself. He pulled the door open and looked back her, still touching her lip and staring at him with glazed eyes.

"When I get back from work, I want to talk to you about some things." He said gentle, trying to keep his voice even.

He left, closing the door behind him.

* * *

A/N: I've decided to keep going, this chapter is a short one and may seem rushed but it's to setup plot to come. Thank you for your reviews so far.


	3. Chapter 3 - Triwizard Trials

**Triwizard Trials**

Chapter 3

* * *

It was always difficult roaming London without a seal. Firstly you had to dodge all of the Death Eaters incase they were in a bad mood and decided you needed a bit of a re-education. Secondly, it just wasn't a very nice place to be. Harry was currently keeping to the side streets, the hood of his beaten up hoodie covering most of his face. Hermione often wore it and if he stopped and gave it smell he could still smell the fruity scent that always surrounded her. It was for luck, as if she was with him.

As soon as the door closed after his sudden and reckless kiss he almost collapsed against the front side of the door. His heart had hammered in his chest and he could feel his magic in the pit of his stomach more than ever. He guessed that was the first time he'd ever been honest with his feelings, and frankly; it made him feel better because of it. He hoped she would of picked up on the hint about what it was he wanted to talk about. Once he'd given himself a minute to breath he then walked normally, or as normally as he thought he walked, in the direction of work; just in case she was still a little suspicious.

As soon as he was out of sight of the windows of the cottage however he ran down the small bank which led to another road into London.

 _Guards._

Harry quickly pushed himself flat against the wall of the narrow street he had been coming down, hoping he wouldn't be seen. Death Eaters were one thing, but the Royal Guards were said to be ruthless to anyone without a seal and even attacked Death Eaters for fun. Muggles generally came into the arena stands last and had the worst seats to avoid them. Harry wanted to make sure he got there early so he could sign up.

The two Guards, in their dark navy and gold robes walked past without noticing him. Harry let the air he'd been unconsciously holding and peered around the corner on the left looking at their retreating backs. Making sure his hoodie was still shrouding his face in darkness he took a right and continued to walk at a quick pace ever inwards.

He thought he could hear the crowd of the arena already and if he thought back he remembered someone saying that there were public displays of magic before the fights. He took a left down another narrow street, looking over his shoulder to check he was alone. He was close now, he knew the rough position of the entrance for those wanting to fight but he didn't have the _exact_ location. He'd only heard bits and pieces from some of the older guys at work. Coming to the end of the street he stopped and looked up at the huge building. He'd seen it from far away on days with clear weather but this was something else. It was a huge arena, which looked like it was made entirely of wood and metal. It rose up in an elongated bowl shape with huge metal spikes coming up and out of the top around the edge. He thought he could feel something, almost like a vibration but he couldn't place it.

 _Should I do this?_

He hated his brain at that moment, he knew he didn't have a choice.

 _You do have a choice, go home to Hermione and say you finished early._

Scrunching his hand up into a fist he breathed in deeply and moved out from the shadows of the street. The cobbled pavement beneath his feet seemed to echo in his mind with every step. He was heading towards a small crowded area towards one side of the arena. He knew it was his entrance, just a quick look at all the tattered clothes of the people in line gave away they were muggles, or perhaps like him; but then he had learned very quickly that Harry was considered quite rare. Muggles were very common of course but wizards, especially without a seal were very uncommon. Most were killed, fled or in hiding. Unless they followed and supported Voldemort.

He looked around as he got closer and closer to the small huddle of people. This area looked deserted compared to the other streets, but thinking about it made sense. He arrived at the back and stood up on his toes to see a little better. There looked like there was a single brown wooden desk where a wizard, and he knew that by the robe he was wearing, was taking down names.

No one was speaking in the queue and Harry thought it was because they were all thinking that same as him. _We may very well not come out alive._ Entering of course didn't mean death for everyone involved. Again from what he'd heard about the rules you could be knocked out, you didn't necessarily have to die. It wasn't a rule that you _couldn't_ kill someone though. It was in fct encouraged. Voldemort himself watched over the Trials, people were eager to please him as a way to get in his good grace or perhaps claim rewards.

"Oi, kid, move up." Came a grizzly voice behind him and a small shove on the shoulder. He'd been too lost in thoughts and was holding up the line. He didn't even realise he'd made it all the way to the desk already.

"Sorry." Harry muttered and stepped forwards. Maybe this really _wasn't_ a good idea. He stepped in front of the desk and a middle aged wizard was sitting behind it with a piece of old looking brown paper in front of him with a feather in one hand. Harry wondered if he suddenly walked into the middle ages.

"Name?" The man said, the boredom clear in his voice.

"H-Harry." He said, now _extremely_ nervous.

The man looked up from his weird paper and narrowed his eyes as if Harry was trying to be funny.

"Harry, _who?_ " He said.

"Oh…" Harry didn't actually know his second name, and it had been a long time since he had been asked for it. He'd spent years trying to remember but it seemed to be one of the things he'd forgotten on that weird night that plagued his dreams.

"I don't have one," He said. "Sir…" He added, he didn't want to offend anyone.

The man looked at him for a minute before huffing and scribbling _no name_ in the little section for his last name before looking up at him again. "And location, guess you don't have one of them either eh?"

"Sorry, no." Harry said. He'd already thought ahead to that question should he be asked. There was no way in hell he would give anyone the location of their cottage. Even from what he considered his work friends, he wouldn't tell them where Hermione was.

The wizard before him once again scribbled on his record and jabbed a jump in the direction of the small wooden door that would take him into the arena. Without looking like he was in a hurry, frankly the man was a little weird looking, he made his way quickly to and through the door.

Inside was pretty dark, the only light coming from a few candles attached to the walls. It wasn't very big, there were about 10 people sitting on benches around the room. Harry quickly took a seat, leaving a small gap between him and the next person. They seemed to be talking in here, unlike when they were outside in the queue but Harry tuned them out.

 _This is is. No going back now. Remember that feeling of magic and you'll be able to do whatever you want with it._

These were his thoughts that increased his confidence. Looking around the room he knew none of the others had any magic. He didn't know _how_ he knew, but he did. His arms on his knees with his hands gripping each other in front of him he thought about Hermione, and what winning the three rounds in the Trials would mean for her. A better life, maybe even a house that wasn't falling apart, a house with more than 2 rooms. He could see it, in his mind how happy she would be. She could get as many books as she wanted, read to her heart's content. He wouldn't have to work and he could make sure she was comfortable and safe. In the Trials, if you passed all three rounds you were allowed to ask for any one thing. You had to be very specific otherwise you could get something you didn't actually want. He had heard rumours around work about people wishing for things like money, who were killed in the following weeks by thieves knowing about their wealth.

Harry didn't want any of that, well he did, but not in the literal sense. All he wanted was for them to have a seal. Seals were never given to muggles unless in very unique circumstances. Harry had only heard about one instance, but he'd soon make it a second. She would no longer be an outcast, she would have the same rights and privileges as anyone else.

"...-id. Hey, kid…"

Harry raised his head, thinking someone was talking to him; he was right. A man, who looked to be around the age of 30 was trying to speak to him. "You 'right?" He said.

"I'm fine, thanks." Harry replied, he wasn't sure now that he thought about it.

"Ye look right pale, sure you're up for this?"

Strangely Harry couldn't find any words and simply nodded in return. The stranger raised an eyebrow but didn't press him anymore, turning to speak to the man next to him. Harry, deciding it was a good excuse to look around the room noticed everyone was a lot older than he was. He also decided they probably didn't have much to lose but the looks of them. Some were on the verge of death already and others simply looked like this was their last hope and if they didn't make it, well, it didn't matter.

 _Stop brooding Harry,_ he chastised himself. Leaning back against the stone wall he crossed his arms and closed his eyes. If he was going to do this he needed to concentrate. Trying to clear his scattered thoughts he concentrated on that feeling of magic. He'd started doing this since Hermione found out and he had been surprised when he found it really helped him control it. He didn't have a wand but he assumed you didn't need one. He'd thought they were expensive so not every wizard would have one. Try as he might, his thoughts wouldn't really clear and Hermione was the most invasive thought. Pushing them aside, he tried harder and eventually cleared his mind until he could just about feel the weird sensation in the pit of his stomach. _Or is that nerves?_ He thought.

Giving up he opened his eyes just as another wizard came through the door at the end of the room. He looked at the room as a whole and smirked to himself. "Jones, Andrew." He said loudly into the room. The man who had asked Harry if he was OK stood and walked after the wizard without a second glance at anyone.

Harry got comfortable in his seat, it was going to be a long wait.

* * *

Hermione dropped the folded clothes she was carrying towards their bags, _again._ Ever since Harry had left, and _kissed_ her she hadn't been able to do anything properly. She was a little clumsy as a person but this was getting ridiculous.

 _He kissed me,_ she thought. _He actually, full on, kissed me._

Ever since they met each other Hermione had always been a little nervous, even more so when Harry had found their now cottage home. Living alone with a boy? She would never have done it had Voldemort not taken over. Well, that was a lie, she knew she would one day. Times were very hard then however, and she didn't think they could be out in the cold for much longer. Most houses that were on the outskirts were even taken or destroyed. Their cottage was a god send even if it was tiny. She hadn't really _liked_ Harry in that way but a year after they had been living together she started to have romantic feelings towards him. She had never expressed that view to him though.

She had sort of pushed her feelings to one side when it looked like Harry didn't feel the same way. Maybe she didn't drop enough hints, or he was just plain dense. But now, when he kissed her all her pushed aside feelings came flying back.

Not having even been properly awake yet it caught her totally be surprise. She'd stood there for a full 5 minutes before her brain suddenly registered what had happened.

Hermione's face turned bright red for the fifth time that morning as she thought about it as she picked up the clothes. Re-folding the ones that had fallen to the floor she replaced them on the pile and she placed the last lot into their respective bags. She almost felt like a housewife at this point, which only caused her to blush more.

The morning seemed to progress quickly for her, her usual chores she did flew by and she soon found herself with nothing to do. Deciding to read, which was pretty common for her to pass the time until Harry was back she sat down on a small pile of blankets they didn't use for anything and flipped her book open.

It was then that it hit her. _When I get back from work, we need to talk about something._ She repeated his words in her head a few times. _Why would he say that?_ If he wanted to talk about something, he wouldn't say it like that. The fact he kissed her too, that was strange.

 _No._ She knew the answer before she'd thought it through.

"You absolute idiot!" She shouted into the silent cottage. Throwing her book aside and grabbed her jacket, stuffed her trainers on and wrenched the door open.

* * *

" _No name,_ Harry?" The wizard said, smirking. The man had come in and out multiple times since calling other names. He hadn't seen any of them come back in, and this only caused him to think the worst.

 _Think of Hermione, think of Hermione._

He coursed the words inside his head over and over as he stood up, his legs now feeling like lead weights. He'd been given time to think about what he was actually attempting and he was _really_ having second thoughts now. It was being countered however, a feeling he had deep down was telling him he could do it and he was having a hard time deciding which feeling he should listen too.

Harry walked over to the man, who then turned and walked through the dark wooden door he'd come from. Following him, he was led down a narrow stone hallway. It was as if he was a slave about to face lions. Perhaps he was. The man in front hadn't said a word apart from calling Harry's name but as they both walked in silence he looked over his shoulder at him a few times with a curious expression on his face. Harry couldn't place it, did the man know him? Should _he_ remember the man? His brain was a mess, he couldn't think straight already and he hadn't even gotten inside the arena.

"We're here. Good luck kid." The man said, suddenly stopping.

Almost walking into the back of him Harry stopped sharply and looked through a small opening in the rock. Peering through he could see the stands running all along the arena. People were yelling and cheering, he couldn't hear them however. Taking in a deep breath he squared his shoulders and walked through the gap. It wasn't the best entrance, and looking at the opposite side of the arena he could see a large hand crafted door. He guessed that was where the Death Eater would come from. The ankle of his jeans snagged on a sharp piece of rock as he moved into the arena, causing him to stumble a little. Harry was about to comment darkly to himself about making himself look like an idiot when he almost jumped out of his skin.

The moment he passed the stone entrance sound like he had never heard before assaulted his ears. Roars of the crowed hit him like a wave and he found it hard _not_ to look up and around with awe. He had planned to come in, win, and get out before he made a fool of himself. A tingling sensation at the nape of his neck caused him to look over his shoulder. The man who had escorted him was holding his wand in his hand and a light silver light had appeared and vanished. He looked curiously at Harry again before waving his wand in a large ark, the stone entrance turning into solid stone that matched the rest of the arena walls.

Making Harry jump again, which was starting to get on his nerves an announcer spoke.

"Ladies and gentlemen, witches and wizards! Welcome… Welcome. We have our 13th… _Competitor_ ," Harry glared up at where the voice seemed to be coming from, even though it was being amplified.

A squat looking man was standing at the front of a large looking booth. Harry's eyes glanced upwards and behind him where 2 people were seating in large elegant black chairs with intricate golden details. The man on the right, who had short brown hair and a sharp face was sitting straight backed in his chair. He looked bored and wasn't looking down at the arena floor. Harry knew who he was, he'd seen Voldemort's posters in town enough times to know who put everyone in this mess. The other, on the left, was a very pretty girl who looked about the same age as Harry; maybe a year older. Her long dark hair flowed over the shoulders of her dress, a golden pendant which caught the light hung from her neck and drew attention to her ample cleavage. Harry stared at her more, curious about who's she was and why she was sitting next to Voldemort. There were two guards, one standing either side of the pair so she must be important. Her eyes suddenly locked onto his and he felt a strange feeling well up inside him. It wasn't love, it was fear. A subconscious feeling was telling him to look way, the only problem was he was having a hard time doing so. Her blue eyes had captured his and he thought he saw her smirk, she was pretty high up and even if he had good eyesight he was sure his mind was playing tricks on him.

"A young man, no wand, how will he fair?" The announcer said, continuing on. The loud voice at least brought Harry out of his staring contest with the unknown women and he locked his eyes on the gate a few hundred feet away from him. The crowed was still yelling, he did happen to notice that on one side of the arena were what was essentially the lower class. They weren't cheering very much as they looked down on Harry.

The announcer played the crowd right, getting them pumped up and ready. Eventually, the gate opened.

A tall masked figure walked through, a swing in his step. His pure black robes billowed as if in a movie and the bone white Death Eater mask glared against the sunlight. He held his wand in his hand, his arm loosely at his side. He couldn't see the expression on the man's face but Harry imagined he was smirking at how easy he thought it would be. Harry aimed to prove him wrong. Having heard a lot about the Trials from people at work and his boss himself, he had a fairly good idea of what went on.

As the man walked up towards the center Harry gave the arena another scan. It was pretty empty, save for some small rocks here and there. The only real safety were the six large pillows. 3 in each row they ran down the length of the arena.

Harry cleared his mind, determined to grab hold of that feeling and use it to it's full potential this time. He heard the announcer shout start.

Immediately the Death Eater had cast a spell, what one Harry didn't know but he could see he'd done a lazy attempt at it. Harry frowned at how he wasn't being taken seriously.

 _He think's you're a muggle, idiot._

Ignoring his inner monologue for now. He jumped to the side to avoid the orange beam of light. Looking over his shoulder at the wall where it hit didn't give him any clues to what the spell did. The crowd seemed even happier that Harry was throwing himself around as he dodged another curse. The Death Eater hadn't moved, he simple cast spells in a lazy way to please the crowd.

Harry wasn't so lucky on the fifth spell. As he rolled to the side it grazed his arm and a burning sensation instantly made itself known. Clamping his jaw shut to not scream, so as to not give them any satisfaction, he moved behind one of the large stone pillars and checked his arm. A thin red line that didn't look to bad visually but inside it was extremely painful.

 _Suck it up Harry, you knew this was going to happen._

Another deep breath and Harry decided it was time to get serious, as weird as that was to say. Harry stepped out from behind the pillar and the angry yelling stopped as he was once again in line of sight from the Death Eater. Harry pulled at the feeling of his magic and raised his hand, pushing it as forcefully as he could through his hand.

What resulted was Harry flew backwards like a cannon had gone off, landing on his back with his head hitting the ground. The spell, if it could be called that, seemed more like a mass of magic than any constructed spell. It was almost invisible, like a heat wave. About a foot in diameter it rocketed towards the Death Eater who was knocked ten feet back and slammed heavily into the ground with a loud grunt.

The crowd went silent as they watched Harry slowly get to his feet and stood, hand resting on one knee and the other grasping the now large bump on the back of his head. He could feel a small amount of blood but he knew he was fine.

The Death Eater stirred and got to his feet quickly, picking up the wand that fell from his hand. He must of been unconscious for a few seconds and Harry chastised himself about missing an opportunity.

Harry was too busy concentrating and dodging the barrage of spells now being fired forcefully from the Death Eater that he didn't see Voldemort lean forwards in his chair, his hands steepled in front of him with a small smile tugging at his cheeks. The first time he had ever looked like he was paying attention in years.

That day Harry made a mental note to learn about actual spells if he ever got the chance, because he was feeling drained already. He had a headache and his hand and arm felt almost numb. He continued to dodge curses and even occasionally made a small wall out of the ground below when he knew he wouldn't dodge in time. Everything he did made the Death Eater angrier. The crowd was roaring again at least, however it seemed to be coming more from the higher stands than before. Deciding he wasn't going to last three rounds if he kept this up Harry finally decided to go on the offensive. Darting out from behind his impromptu wall he raised his hand again. Firmly placing his left foot back a little he send the same wave of magic towards the Death Eater who dived out of the way as it was too difficult to actually see where the magic would land.

Harry, who stayed up right this time thanks to reinforcing his stance ran _towards_ the Death Eather. He didn't know what was coming over him, why he was being to reckless but he _knew_ he could do it, that his magic would make him the victor. Sliding under a spell that was hastily sent his way as the Death Eater stood back up he finally closed the distance and swung straight for the man's chest.

A shimmering wall, almost as invisible as Harry's spell erupted between them a split second before Harry's fist connected. Harry hit the wall and felt a sharp pain erupted through this fingers. The Death Eater on the other side was blasted back once again by what could only be described as a shock wave. Harry didn't consider himself very strong but from the work he did he'd found he had a good amount of strength in him. The man was thrown so far back he actually hit the wall of the arena before falling fast first into the ground in a comical fashion. Harry gripped his throbbing hand and stood there looking at the defeated opponent. He honestly thought it would have been easier, he'd gotten pretty banged up and that was only the first round. His headache was threatening to burst out of his ears and his hand felt like he'd just punched a bed of nails but he had won. Smiling to himself as he looked down at the ground he prayed the next two rounds would follow a similar fashion, he wouldn't mind them going easier on him though.

The crowd, which had roared so loud he feared the stands would shatter went deathly silent and Harry looked up, wondering if the next round was starting already. Voldemort had stood, and was standing next to the commentator who looked like he wanted to jump over the railing then stand next to him. The entire crowd seemed to be holding it's breath, and then he clapped. A look of hunger in his eyes, he clapped at the young man standing in the arena below. The crowd instantly followed suit and clapped and cheered a long. Some were whispering and looking nervous at what had just happened.

"And… After that magnificent round, the young man is the victor! We now move onto the second round ladies and gentlemen!" The announcer yelled out, amplified so it reached everyone. Voldemort had sat down again and the young woman was whispering into his ear.

Harry watched as a few wizards took the unconscious man away and moved back to his end of the arena. Every step was forceful, as if he had lead weights attached to his thighs. This was the most magic he'd ever used, and the way was using it probably wasn't doing him any favours. He leaned his back against the wall as the commentator spoke to the crowd and asked useless questions that Harry wasn't going to answer. He closed his eyes and waited for the next round. It was strange how every time he used magic he heard voices, voices he _thought_ he should know. Nothing ever clicked however. It hurt his head like hell though, that much he was sure on.

"...econd round begins!" Shouted the announcer, pulling Harry out of his thoughts.

Still feeling like he'd been hit with a car Harry pushed his back off the wall and walked forwards slowly. Two Death Eaters were in front of him this time, and they looked serious. He still couldn't see their faces but their stance told him everything. The one before them was cocky and didn't take it seriously. Now they knew he could use magic, well sort of, they knew what to expect.

Feeling like he was going to reach his peak soon Harry decided he needs to get through this round quickly but before he could even raise a hand a wand from the man on the left flicked upwards. A large pillar of fire flew towards him and scorched him on the right side. Falling to one knee over the burning hot pain. The next moment however the pain was fading and Harry took a chance and looked down to see the skin on his arm was bright pink but undamaged. The quick look however wasn't a wise move as he was immediately hit by a spinning black spell that caused one of his legs to crack loudly.

Screaming in pain he gritted his teeth and clutched his left leg. Not really knowing what he was doing and more of a reflex to pain that anything Harry threw the hand not clutching his leg into the air in an odd way. A small vibration seemed to pulse from Harry and the ground beneath the two men's feet started to crumble. They both jumped back in response but one of the Death Eats was too slow and his foot was caught in the now jagged surface. Harry went to hold his hand out again but was caught by another spell from the man still standing. The pain in his leg was dwarfed by the feeling of his bone splintering in his right arm. Another shockwave emanated from Harry as he dragged himself behind the stone pillar again, narrowly missing another jet black spell to the leg. Tears welling up in his eyes now from the pain he breathed quickly in and out.

 _Do it for Hermione. You'll both have a place to be._

He repeated those words to himself over and over again, as if it was helping to numb the pain. Harry pushed his back again the pillar and rose to his feet, most of the weight now on the other. Peeking his head around the corner he tried to see what position they were in. He had to pull his head back immediately however as a large jet of flame was now engulfing the back of the pillar. The heat was starting to build up and Harry knew it was a tactic to get him to move but he refused. He didn't have the speed now to make a break for another pillar.

A sharp twinge in his leg and he bit down on his lip. If he didn't do something know he'd probably be killed and he still had one more round to go. Harry placed his hand, which hurt like hell moving an arm with a splintered bone in it, and touched the pillar behind him. Again he forcefully pulled and pushed on his magic and directed it into the base of the pillar. Like before it felt strange and hurt when he did it but he couldn't shy away from pain now. He thought this would be a lot easier, and he didn't know why he had thought that. He'd gotten cocky, he should have listened to Hermione. The fact he could do some magic now, which wasn't even proper magic should have told him how difficult and dangerous this would be. He had gotten through the first round only because he had surprised the Death Eater. This round was what it was like facing off against someone who could fight back.

The pillar, thankfully started to move. It started to sway slightly at first and Harry suspected people weren't sure what he was doing. It became clear however when the swaying got more exaggerated and eventually the pillar came crashing down on the two Death Eaters. One ran and obliterated large chunks of rocks as he went but the other simply stood there and raised a shield. Harry saw this and blasted some raw magic at the shield, essentially nutriouslising it. The Death Eater looked at Harry, as if ready to curse him but the next second he was nowhere to be seen, instead a large piece of rock was resting in his place.

Screams and cheers arose through the crowd again, some cheering Harry's name and others shouting for his execution upon killing a servant of Voldemort's. Harry hadn't even registered that he had killed someone, he hadn't meant too; it was just to make them panic and stop attacking the remaining his limbs that were functioning properly.

"At least it's one on one again…" Harry said out loud.

He thought it was a bit cheap to pit two against one but he shouldn't have expected any less from these Trials. They were designed to be against you and it was extremely rare for someone to win. Without anyone to teach wizards about magic apart from families or forgotten books it was difficult to learn what was needed to fight Death Eaters, who were trained as if in an army.

A blast from behind caused Harry to duck. A spell had hit the small bit pillar he was behind, causing a large hole to appear and small pieces of rock sprayed everywhere from the explosion. A few bits clipped his ear, cutting into it. The blast however seemed to continue to ring in Harry's ears, essentially making him deaf. Harry tried to scramble for the other pillar on the other side of the arena but was caught by a red spell.

Pain like he had never experienced before caused him to thrash around on the ground, his splintered leg and arm seemed like nothing compared to the hot daggers being pressed into every part of his body. Another vibration and Harry's blood felt like it was about to boil, he wanted it to stop and wanted the man to feel the pain he was inflicting. Harry tried to raise his hand, to think about the feeling of his magic but all thoughts were being driven out of his head. He couldn't think straight, pain was overwhelming him.

But then, it stopped.

Abruptly as it started the pain vanished and Harry raised his head off the ground, the only part of his body that would listen to him at the time. His eyes opened wide as he looked at the last remaining Death Eater. Through his right side was a large sharp needle of rock, lifting the man off the floor a few inches. It penetrated him from the inside of his leg and exited out the top of the shoulder. It wasn't pretty, blood was pooling to the floor where his wand lay.

Forcing his body to work he lifted himself off the ground and hobbled over to the flailing man who was trying desperately to pull himself off of the spike. Blood was dropping from his mouth and when Harry finally reached him he wasn't moving, through the holes in the mask Harry could see lifeless eyes staring back at him. He stooped down and picked the wand up, it felt horrible to him, but he kept it anyway. Turning on the spot he looked up towards where Voldemort was sitting and snapped the wand in half in with his hand.

Voldemort was smiling, as if he didn't care about the death of two of his own.

"A-And that's… Another win, yes, from the young challenger… What an interesting turn of events!" The commentator was trying to sound positive but the look Voldemort was giving off was murderous, yet he was smiling.

The stands were no longer cheering at all now. Having watched a young man essentially kill two people who probably oppressed others was a sight to see. He was glad Hermione wasn't here. She would probably think differently of him now. Harry didn't really know what to feel himself, he wasn't doing this for himself. Partially yes, but he would only get a small fraction of the freedom if he won this.

As Harry hobbled back towards where he started in the Arena he felt a gaze on him and looked back up to the box. The woman's eyes were locked on his. Bright blue again bright green. He tore his gaze from her's and stared at the ground as he limped across the arena floor. A small trail of blood forming on the ground.

The woman continued to stare at the young man and bit her lip when he didn't look her way again.

* * *

Hermione was clutching her mouth shut with her hand. She'd just witnessed a spike pierce someone's body and the image was making her want to throw up. It wasn't the best time for her to arrive. She was standing at the top of the stands. The fact she was out of breath wasn't helping the urge to vomit at what she had seen. The worst thing however was the person who she'd seen _do it_.

 _Harry…_ She pleaded internally. He looked so defeated, he was limping and one arm hung uselessly at his side. She wanted to catch his eyes, for him to know she was there and for a split second she thought he did. He stopped and turned his head but it wasn't in her direction, it was at the top box where Voldemort was sitting. She followed his gaze and saw a woman who was staring back at him. It was safe to say she was beautiful, in a deadly kind of way. She wasn't sure who she was.

Looking around herself at the crowded seats that lined the arena she decided to pluck up some courage and try and find out what's gone on.

"E-Excuse me, sir? Who's that woman in the box?" She asked an older man sitting in front of her. She took a seat next to him and clutched her hands in her lap.

The old man turned to look at her. He had a very grey beard that looked like he was trying to keep tidy. "Oh her? You don't know? That's the Dark Lord's daughter that is. Athena or something... Named after some Greek woman." The man replied.

He didn't say anything else, he was looking down at the arena where Harry was now standing with his back against the far arena wall with his eyes closed. She wished she figured it out and got here sooner although she didn't know what she could have done. At least she could've tried to stop him, she should have known he was going to do this. It had taken her to long to run here, and taking the longer routes through London was difficult.

She was surprised, and jumped a little when the old man next to her spoke again.

"Doubt the poor lad will make it through the last round, rumour has it you face off against a Guard. Shame really, looked like he was pretty strong too."

Hermione let her head hang as she thought about what was happening. She was having a hard time processing it. Why did he go against what she said, she thought she had gotten through to him. She was beyond angry, but it was being dwarfed by her worry. Looking down at Harry, he really didn't look well what's so ever. Did he really think he could win? Hermione had to re-evaluate that statement, he had won two rounds and that was something most generally didn't win, or attempted.

Tears quickly appeared in her eyes when she saw Harry slip down the wall he was leaning on. Now resting on the ground he was staring at nothing towards the other side of the arena. She didn't like the look on his face, he seemed different, a little scary. She could make out his green eyes from where she was sitting high up in the stands and wondered if they had always been that bright and alluring.

Wiping the tears away she continued to clutch her hands that rested in her lap. "Has he been using a lot of, magic?" Hermione asked the old man again.

"Mhm…" Said the old man as if not really sure himself. "Seems to be, hard to tell though."

"Sorry, hard to tell?" All the magic Harry had shown her had been easy to tell if it was in fact, magic.

"Sort of a blur, seems to lash out in pain though… Not surprised."

Silence broke out between them for a few minutes, thankfully it looked like Harry was getting a few minutes himself to rest before the last round.

"I was around long before The Fall, you know." Hermione looked over at him, The Fall was what people often called Voldemort's uprising. "It's good to see someone standing up to it, beating the odds, you know?"

Hermione let out a small breath and nodded her head, looking back at Harry. In honesty, she wasn't surprised it was him standing up for himself and probably her. Harry had a good heart and did what he thought was right. He never let anyone tell him or her otherwise. Thinking about it seemed to make her more mad that he'd gone against her.

The crowd rose up again and cheered and Hermione looked around and saw the large wooden door opened. A tall, straight back figure entered and walked quickly with purpose into his position in the arena. Hermione noticed the elegant looking dark navy and gold uniform.

"Aye, it's a Guard all right. Tough luck kid." She heard the old man mutter.

As soon as the Guard reached his position he flicked his wand straight up, and then straight down. A large purple spell that seemed to be spinning in on itself shot towards Harry. She was about to scream as Harry didn't look like he was ready but the spell hit what seemed to be an invisible wall a foot in front of him.

"Harry fight back…" She muttered to herself as she watched him. He wasn't moving, and she feared he couldn't. _Has it caught up to him?_ She wondered.

Again and again the Guard fired spell after spell at Harry, none of them reached him and the Guard seemed to be getting frustrated. Harry hadn't moved, it was if he was in a trance. He was clutching his arm and most of his weight was shifted on one leg but apart from that he looked almost lifeless.

The Guard seemed to realise and switch tactics, instead of frontal spells he started throwing fire. The flames licking around the edges of Harry's barrier. Eventually it built up so much and reached him. Harry flinched, yelled and took a step back. His shield dropped and the Guard took his chance and fired the same purple spell from before. It hit Harry in the chest, but nothing happened. Hermione thought he'd gotten another wall up just in time but then he dropped to one knee, clutching his head. The Guard didn't fire another spell, he crossed his arms looking smug.

"...No... " Hermione could just about hear Harry, the crowd having gone silent. "No… Hermione…" Her heart seemed to stop for a second at hearing it, it was like a whisper to her but whatever was happening to him wasn't good. She thought it was a trick in the mind but he wouldn't be able to tell that.

A few small spikes seemed to appear in the ground around Harry, every time he yelled or screamed a larger one would appear from the ground. The Guard was moving steadily back but he wasn't casting, assuming his victim would go crazy very shortly.

Hermione was running, she didn't know how her legs were moving as she watched and listened. She felt sick to her stomach. Pushing past people and treading on a lot of toes she descended down the stands, jumping down the benches when there was a large gap. Eventually she made it to the edge, which was still far off the ground.

"Harry!" She yelled. "Harry, I'm fine!"

Harry's eyes were closed shut and he was muttering to himself, she could see being this close that blood was dripping from his right ear.

"HARRY!" She yelled as loudly as she could. Her shouts and shoving had already attracted attention, but the last pulled nearly all the gazes to her. She didn't care though, if Harry thought something bad was happening to her she needed him to know she was OK. She was crying now and she wanted to get down into where Harry was. She could see the smug, evil expression of the Guard as he looked between them.

And then Harry's eyes snapped open. Piercing green found her's and in the next second a huge blast emanated from Harry sending the spikes of rock flying everywhere. The crowd all yelled and ducked out of reflex but they hadn't needed too, the pieces of sharp rock hit the arena barrier and harmlessly fell to the ground.

Hermione had ducked too and when she stood back up she saw Harry on the other end of the arena, back against the wall.

He didn't get back up this time.

* * *

 **A/N: This needs some revisions I think (I'm not a great writer), but please leave a review if you'd like to see this continued. They're a great motivation.**


	4. Chapter 4 - Future Complications

**Future Complications**

Chapter 4

* * *

Harry came round, after another strange dream and felt terrible. His eyes felt like they were glued shut, his limbs numb and strained. He felt like he had a weight pressing down on his chest. He prised his eyelids open slowly, thankfully wherever he was wasn't very bright. The air felt cool against his skin and he could smell a fruity fragrance. His eyes open now, as much as they could be when they felt like they were in a vice. The first thing he saw was a female face, but then he noticed the long black hair hanging down.

"Hello." Said the girl in a sweet voice. The hairs on the back of his neck instantly stuck up.

Not really comprehending words right then Harry looked around him, as much as moving his head would allow. He appeared to be on a dark leather sofa. As he looked back at the girl he noticed she was straddled on top of him. He understood where the weight on his chest was coming from now.

"Hi…" Harry said nervously, already starting to panic about where Hermione was.

The girl smirked down at him and shifted her weight a little.

"You're a interesting one you know." She said as she drew circles on his singed t-shirt. Her finger sometimes touching his skin if she hit a hole or tear in the fabric. He surprised the shiver each time.

Harry didn't know what to say, he didn't even even know where he was; he decided to start with clearing that up first.

"Where am I, exactly?" He asked, his piercing green eyes staring into her striking blue.

"My father's castle of course." She replied bluntly.

 _Castle? Did that mean.._

"You're his daughter aren't you? Voldemort's daughter." Harry said, he'd never seen her in person but knew Voldemort had a daughter, and there were a lot of rumours too. Thinking back he recognised her as the girl sitting next to him in the top box.

She smiled, he wasn't sure if he should be afraid or blush. "You're quick too, I'm liking you more every minute Harry." She said.

As if saying his name jogged her memory he quickly tried to sit up but failed when both his sore back and the fact he had a girl sitting on him stopped him.

"Now, now. You were very hurt you know? Poor thing… Plenty of rest I think."

Harry ignored her. "Where's Hermione?" He asked, a hard look on his face which she ignored and simply smiled at him again.

"Nothing to worry about Harry, she's perfectly safe in the other room. We had to basically _prise_ her off you in London."

 _In London? Well that confirms I'm where I think I am. Voldemort's castle._

"You and your idiots better not have laid a finger on her."

She smiled again and it was starting to annoy the hell out of him. "You can stop smiling too, I know you're far from a princess and can you please get off of me, I want to see her." He said assertively. He knew he probably shouldn't be talking to Voldemort's daughter like that but frankly he didn't care, he wanted to make sure Hermione was ok.

Her smile disappeared this time and he feared he really did go too far. She squeezed her legs on either side of him as if to lock herself in place. She leaned in low just beside his ear and whispered into it. "No one's ever spoken to me like that before Harry, do it again and I'll make sure your little miss sweet heart doesn't see the light of day." She turned slightly and seductively bit his ear before whispering again when Harry nodded subtly. "Good boy."

"Now, my name is Athena as you're probably aware and," She started to say, leaning back up but still not moving from her position on him. "As unfortunate as your defeat was-"

"Wait, defeat? I didn't win?" Harry said quickly, cutting her off. He saw her eyebrow twitched at the interruption.

"While your display of strength was _magical_ , the Royal Guard _unfortunately_ recovered in the arena and was declared the winner." She sounded like she didn't care all that much for the Guards, she was however very interested in Harry.

"Now as I was saying, as you lost you do not get to claim your reward; hence the reason my father is still in London and not here listening to your request." Harry's heart dropped at that, he'd tried so hard. " _However_ , I on the hand would like to offer you a job, of sorts."

"What about Hermione?" Harry asked, he didn't care what the job was; he already had one. If he didn't win, they would both go back to their cottage.

Harry noticed her eye switch again. "The girl? No clue, don't really care." She said and Harry clenched his fist.

Athena moved her hands up his chest and rested them against his collarbone. "If you accept my offer however, I'll give you your little request. How's that?"

Thinking quickly Harry soon found she wasn't giving him a choice. He either accepted the job, which meant he could request for Hermione's seal or he could refuse it and probably be killed, along with her. It was a no brainer. He had to make sure his terms were met however, he wasn't going to be double crossed.

"Hermione gets a seal, then I'll do whatever you want." He said with confidence.

" _Anything_ , huh? Why not, the little mudblood can have a seal. It makes no difference to me." She said casually, not caring about giving a muggle a high status. Harry was struggling to understand her.

"Do you accept the position to be my Royal Protector?" She asked, suddenly very serious.

 _Royal Protector?_ He hadn't heard of that title before, he assumed it was just a glorified body guard. It didn't sound to bad. He didn't know why she was picking him though, surely the Guard who Harry lost too was better suited for it, he barely had control of his magic as it was.

"Deal," He said before thinking something quickly. "And I want a house." He added quickly.

Athena smirked once again, this time it wasn't cute. "Agreed." She then quickly leaned forward and kissed him.

Harry tried to instantly push her off but he lacked strength and she seemed to have a lot of it for some reason. She parted his lips and Harry felt something tug at his magic. It was the first time Harry had felt it since waking up and it was af it was beating in line with his heart. Every second that the kiss deepened his magic would flare. Eventually, weather she stopped or Harry eventually forced her off she pulled back and tapped her bottom lip lightly with her index finger.

"It's sealed." She said and lifted herself off of him and walked over to a large window. "You can go and see your wench now. I will arrange for a seal and your house." She looked over her shoulder to look at him as he was sitting up on the sofa. "Betray me and you'll regret it, you listen to me now and me only. That applies to my father too."

His magic gave a soft beat, or maybe that was his heart; he couldn't tell. Without a backwards glance he quickly, even if he was a little wobbly, left the room.

 _She said it was next to this room._

Harry looked left and right, he'd come out into an elegant looking hallway. There was a large staircase to the right and a few other rooms to the left. Taking the chance and opening the door to the immediate left of him Harry grasped the handle and opened the door.

The first thing he noticed was there was much more sunlight in this room than the previous, which seemed weird to Harry because it had less windows. Brushing it off as a quirk he moved fully into the room.

"Harry!" Hermione yelled upon realising who had entered the room. She had been sitting on a chair in the corner, silently waiting. She ran and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. Harry still didn't have the strength to take the weight of another person yet and dropped to his knees.

"S-Sorry Harry… I didn't think, you're still hurt aren't you?" She said, worried.

He laughed however, and it felt good too. She was fine, and he would be fine. He didn't win the Trials, even if he had been close but he got his wish anyway. "I'm fine, or at least I will be. Just a little weak at the moment.

"I'm glad…" She said, they were both on their knees and looking at each other. Hermione with worry still visible on her face and Harry just looked tired beyond belief. Harry watched as she raised her hands again and steadied himself for another hug when suddenly she started hitting him as hard as she could.

"You. Stupid. Idiot. How. Could. You!" She punched him wherever she could that Harry wasn't defending with each word. "I told you not too, that it was stupid and you went and did it anyway!" Another punch, this time catching him off guard and hitting hit him in the stomach. "Why didn't you listen?"

Hermione stopped hitting him and looked at him with a worried expression again. He was laughing with a large smile on his face. _Did I hit him too hard?_

When Harry eventually stopped and calmed down he sat down on the floor after his knees gave a twinge of pain. "I'm sorry Hermione, but I'm not sorry." He said.

"You're not sorry?"

"I'm sorry for lying to you, and not listening. But I'm not sorry I did it. You're getting a seal and I have a house now. It should be good, no leaks or anything."

Hermione looked shocked as she stared at him. "What do you mean, I'm getting a seal? But… But you didn't win?" She asked in confusion.

"I met…" He started to but quickly stopped, he wasn't sure how he should explain it. He _definitely_ didn't want to explain how their deal went down either. He knew they weren't a couple or anything but Hermione would take it badly and he didn't want to hurt her. He'd explain it all when she was in a better mood; and when he could take the blows better. "Voldemort's daughter. She offered me a job as her Royal Protector or something. Crazy I know, but I asked for a seal and a house before I accepted."

"And that's it? She accepted it just like that, and you too for that matter?" She asked skeptically.

He gulped, which sounded very loud to him. "Well, pretty much and why wouldn't I? It's a win win, we get a house and we're both now recognised by the country. No more dodging people, we'll have more money. You can get books! A warm house, just think of that Hermione. Think of how warm you'll be…" Harry tried to really sell the whole warmth thing, as that was Hermione's biggest complaint in their cottage and she hated being cold. It was always why Harry was used as personal hot water bottle.

"Mhmm… I guess, but doesn't it feel too easy?" She said, smiling a little now.

Harry brushed it off with a wave of his hand and grasped both of hers in his.

"This is a new chapter for us Hermione and I'm glad I'm sharing it with you."

* * *

"I thought I told you you weren't allowed in here?" Voldemort said in a deadpan voice.

Athena didn't seem to be paying much attention as she browsed the large bookcase on the wall. Tapping them with her finger as she looked across the rows. "I didn't think you were back already." She said.

"And me not being present entitles you access?" He asked.

"Oh please, it's not like you don't know when and who is in your office, wherever you are." Athena plucked a book from a shelf and held it up to her father. "I'm borrowing this by the way."

Voldemort didn't say anything to that, he simply continued to work away at his desk. It was boring, and he hated doing it but it needed to be done, he didn't trust anyone else with it. He missed the action though, the killing, the screams from torture.

"What did you do with the boy?" Voldemort said into the silence and Athena stopped with her hand on the door handle.

She smirked and turned around with a smile on her face. "Oh not much, gave him a job. He's very interesting you know. His little mudblood is getting a seal though, oh that's right I need a seal." She walked over to his desk and held out her hand expectantly.

Voldemort met her eyes but she didn't budge. Drawing his wand he drew an intricate pattern in the area and a gold seal landed in her open palm. She turned without uttering another word and walked back towards the door, seal in one hand and book in the other. As she grabbed the handle again Voldemort once again spoke up.

"Don't think the rules have changed Athena. I'll only put up with your actions for so long, I'll remove you the same way your mother was."

Athena pulled on the handle and left, closing the door behind her without looking back.

* * *

Harry and Hermione had been given a letter from a large masked Death Eater. Originally nervous when the man walked in Harry had stepped in front of Hermione automatically. However he simply handed Harry the letter, which had a weight to it and left without muttering a single word.

Reading the letter detailed the location of their house, which was located in the wizarding village of Hogsmeade, thankfully there was a map. It also detailed his pay and where he stood in society.

"Wow…" Harry said as he read, Hermione pulled the worn parchment from his grasp and read it herself, curiosity could never hold her back.

"You're considered higher than a Royal Guard!" Hermione said, nearly yelling.

Harry was already dreading it, a new comer already at that kind of position. What was Athena planning? Different scenarios went through his mind as Hermione finished the letter and moved on to take the seal out of the envelope. Harry watched as she turned it over in her hand as she examined it.

"Make sure you always have it on you, OK?" Harry said, plucking the seal from her hand and pinning it on her jumper.

Hermione beamed up at him. "Thanks, I will… And, Harry… I'm still mad, but… I really appreciate what you did. Don't do it ever again."

Feeling rather brave, Harry held her hand and pulled her towards the door. Together they navigated the castle, which turned out to be easier than they first thought by following the instructions on the letter. Harry fell into a missing step on one of the staircases and Hermione's heart almost stopped when a suit of armour suddenly yelled at her. When they found the huge front door they left and walked down towards the metal gates they saw in the distance. Hermione moved a little closer to Harry when they heard strange noises coming from a dense forest on the grounds but eventually they made it out of the castle. It was a little strange they didn't meet any Guards or other people, that they knew of anyway.

They both had to admit how impress they were of the castle. It was how Hermione thought it should look from when her parents read her stories in bed. The letter said to just follow the path from the main gates and they would find the village. Hermione didn't say anything as they walked and Harry was looking every way he could, determined to memorise every detail. To him, this was all incredible. Ever since he found out he could do magic he had an urge to want to be apart of it's world. He never would have thought he'd be _this_ deep in it.

"I-I think that's the village." Hermione said, pointing to a soft yellow glow ahead of them. It was a little foggy but they could just make out some shapes which looked like buildings. Hermione had a been blushing ever since Harry took her hand and was a little nervous.

They picked up the pace and quickly found themselves in a small village. They both had to admit it was pretty nice. There weren't many people around but it was getting late and frankly they didn't want anymore possible attention.

Hermione had the letter in her hand and was reading it again for the directions of their new home. She was excited to see it. "I think… That it's this one." She said, stopping outside of a small house. It wasn't anywhere near as small as their cottage but it wasn't anything grand. Hermione climbed the few brick stairs outside the front door and gentle pushed the door open.

"Hello?" She called out into the house. No one replied so they moved past the plain red welcome mat but stopped in front of a small wooden table with spindle legs pressing against the wall. There was a small package, wrapped in brown paper and tied string.

Harry reached out and grabbed it and gave it a little shake. He couldn't feel anything moving around and it didn't rattle. In-fact it felt soft so he decided to open it. A bundle of fabric fell to the floor, but he kept a hold of it and he soon saw it was a dark navy blue robe with intricate gold details. It was a little different to the Guards uniform he noticed, his looked more detailed. Hermione picked up the small piece of parchment that fell from the package and read it allowed.

"This is your uniform, you're to always wear it; including the pin. Lose it and I'll kill you. Be at the castle at 7 every morning." It was signed 'A', which he knew meant Athena.

"Lose it and she'll kill you? Isn't that a bit extreme?" Hermione said, instantly deciding she _really_ didn't like this women.

Harry thought about what words to use. "Well… She did come off as a bit strange. Definitely Voldemort's daughter though. I really wish I didn't have to do this..." He mumbled the last sentence hoping Hermione wouldn't really hear but her keen hearing unfortunately wasn't taking a day off.

"Why couldn't you decline? Harry if you don't want to do it no one is forcing you." Hermione was holding the letter still in her hand at her side and a confused look on her face.

 _You would probably be killed, along with me. So yeah, it wasn't my choice. Athena is crazy._

He wanted to say that, but couldn't. "It's worth it though, for this." He said with a gesture to the house they were in. Hermione thankfully accepted that answer.

"OK, well there was a key attached to the back of this note. Should you have it or should I?" She asked holding the key out to him. It was a large key like you'd find for a muggle shed.

"You should keep it, I can just use magic… It's still strange admitting that, considering I was using it to open and lock our cottage every day."

After that they scoped the place out and it turned out to be perfect. They had a living room with a nice fireplace in, a downstairs _and_ an upstairs bathroom. There was a kitchen with a small side room that Hermione said could be used for storage. Upstairs there were two bedrooms and another small room. It was dry, there weren't any leaks and they couldn't hear the wind blowing outside.

"It's perfect." Hermione said after they had checked all the rooms. Harry couldn't help but feel happy at the huge smile on her face. "But what about your stuff? I don't just want to leave it behind…"

Harry had thought about that too. "I'll figure something out dont worry."

They were standing in what they assumed was the master bedroom, based on the size. Hermione walked over to him and hugged him around the waste.

"Thank you, Harry." She said quietly.

* * *

"You're sure it's him?" An old man sat in a large room filled only with tall back chairs.

Another man, considerably younger sat in front of him. "Positive, I didn't recognise him at first when I called his name for the Trials but I noticed his eyes Albus. He's Lily's son all right, I'll bet my life on it. Plus, it's far too much of a coincidence that his name is Harry. He didn't give a family name when he signed up either."

"What happened to him at when the match finished?" Albus asked. His blue eyes sitting behind half moon spectacles shined brightly with curiosity.

"Carted off, haven't seen him since. Doubt they did anything to him though.. He was using magic Albus… But, without a wand. I know it exists but, you had to see it to believe it…"

"Oh I believe it Frank. Harry was gifted with magic even at a very young age, that much was very clear. It was a terrible shame what his parents had to do to keep him safe. I know Lily wants him back now that it's calmed down but at the height of the war, they weren't safe. Voldemort was looking for them and if he found Harry all would be lost."

Frank looked nervous as Dumbledore spoke. "You still don't want to contact him do you?" He asked.

Dumbledore smiled softly. "Unfortunately, I do not. I don't believe it is time to drag Harry into this. We need him, there's no doubt about it, but we now don't even know which side he is on."

Frank stood quickly, his voice louder. "How could you say that? Of course he's on our side, think at what his parents had to do, _are_ doing!"

"Lily _destroyed_ his memory of them, and us. He is essentially not the young boy we remember Frank." Dumbledore said rationally, unphased by Franks outburst.

"Memory charms fade over time, are you willing to leave Harry where Voldemort can get him. What if he's already peering into his mind?" Frank asked, still standing.

Sighing dumbledore waved his beautifully carved yew wand and produced a cup of tea for each of them. Frank took it with a nod and sat down again. "You're misunderstanding the difference between erased and destroyed, Frank. In the magical word we are able to modify memories, but the brain is extremely complicated. Erasing memories, even done by a master obliviator can sometimes leaves traces which lead to remembering. Lily, being an extremely gifted witch herself chose to destroy, rather than erase. I admit it was dangerous, one of the most dangerous things you could attempt. It's very unlikely he would remember anything, at least enough to make sense."

Frank thought about Dumbledore's explanation, it made sense, but then some of it didn't. There were parts Dumbledore was missing out, and flat out not telling them all.

"I need you to keep an eye on him Frank, stick with your cover and find out as much as you can. I'll contact him when I feel it's right. We've been keeping ourselves hidden for now and Voldemort is growing impatient. He want's the Order finished for good."

"You still believe Harry fit's the prophecy?" Frank asked quietly.

Dumbledore took a sip of his tea and smiled.

"Without a doubt."

* * *

 **A/N: I'm really sorry about the short chapter, but it's needed! It's more of a chapter 3 part 2. The next chapter will be a lot longer if you stick around. Please leave a review/PM.**


	5. Chapter 5 - Ulterior Motives

**Ulterior Motives**

Chapter 5

* * *

Waking up felt strange. There wasn't a small mass pressed up against him, clutching his arm. There was no familiar fruity smell and for once, he didn't feel as warm. Those were the feelings Harry felt as he lied awake in his bed in the master bedroom. Hermione has insisted he take it as it was technically his house. It was six in the morning and because they had gotten in late last night Harry forgot about the talk he wanted to have with her.

He rolled over and looked at a small wooden chair in the corner of the room. Sat neatly on the soft seat sat his new uniform and pin. It was honestly a struggle for Harry to think about what happened in the Trials, for the most part he actually couldn't remember a lot of it and he wasn't sure why. His memory had always been a little fragmented but he put it down to stress.

 _What have I got us in too?_

Harry thought about it for another ten minutes before he decided he should get up as to not be later for meeting Athena at the castle. Pulling the heavy white duvet off of him he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. Walking over to his uniform he quickly put it on, he had to admit wizard clothes were a lot quicker to put on than normal clothes. He picked up the small gold pin, which had a coat of arms on that he'd never seen before with a small 'A' detailed in the center. Pinning it on his right chest pocket he turned and faced the full length mirror that was attached to his wall in a large frame.

He looked pretty good, more mature and less of a homeless person. Which was always a plus. The fabric fit his curves, and while never having been well built he had a very decent frame which the uniform seemed to enhance.

"Guess I've got to go…" He whispered to his mirror self with a sigh.

Turning his back on the mirror he walked to his bedroom door and opened it quietly, picking up his boots before exiting. He walked along the dark red carpeted hallway and made it to the stairs. He stopped at the top and leaned in close to a door on the immediate left, Hermione's room. Harry grabbed the handle and gentle turned it, pushing the door open slowly as to not wake her. A quick peer inside and he saw Hermione head protruding from the large mass of duvet, sound asleep. Satisfied she was sleeping fine he closed the door, making sure it didn't make a sound and quietly descended the staircase.

Closing the front door behind him, Harry held the handle a little longer than was normal and thought about the lock. Content when he heard the solid _click_ of the latch and bolt he turned around and jumped down the stone steps.

It was a chilly morning, with some light fog covering the area. To Harry however it only felt like a nice breeze. He looked this way and that as he walked through the quiet village. No one seemed to be up at this time and he was a little crestfallen about it. The shops and houses were nice to look at and they intrigued him about what they contained but he was hoping to maybe meet some people before Hermione was up. He still doesn't trust anyone, and especially didn't trust Athena. The fact she put them in this village must have a hidden meaning.

Harry continued to trapes up the road towards the castle as he listening to his internal monologue. He'd had another strange dream that night and it also seemed to include a rather, seductive, display from his earlier meeting with Athena. He had quickly woken up after that and chastised his brain. The castle seemed even larger in the morning light, casting large shadows from its many turrets. There wasn't many lights on, as far as he could see but one light in particular seemed to draw his attention. In of of the highest towers a soft orange glow could be seen. Harry wondered if that was where Athena was. He shook his head, trying to clear thoughts of her. He wasn't sure why she was constantly on his mind now but he needed it to stop.

He made it to the gates and gave a nod to a Guard standing on duty. _Was he there last night?_ The Guard seemed to give his uniform and pin a look over but regrettably nodded back.

 _This is weird._

The whole thing was weird, his situation, his position and who he was now working for. Never in a million years would he think he would be working for Voldemort's daughter. Haven't not met the monster himself he could only judge him from his daughter, and that was a scary thing to think about. He couldn't work her out either, she seemed to flirt with him, but every bone in Harry's body was warning him she was about to kill him.

Harry didn't know how, but he found himself outside of a door inside the castle having walked up a large number of stairs to reach the tower. It was if his feet knew where to go. Taking a deep breath he knocked loudly on the door and waited.

"Enter." A curt female voice said.

He pushed the door open and closed it behind him. Looking around the room there was no one around. Confused he stepped into the room more. The windows were letting in more light this time, which struck him as odd but didn't question it any further. The desk was empty save for some paper on it and the large sofa he'd woken up the previous day on was empty too.

"Ah, Harry. If I remember rightly, I told you I'd kill you if you were late. It's 2 minutes overdue." Athena said.

Harry twisted around quickly. She was standing against a door frame to a room he hadn't noticed was there from before. She stood there in only a lace nighty, her slender toned legs caught the light and Harry found his gaze being drawn to them. Noticing her smirk he realised his mistake and quickly turned around.

He cleared his throat. "I was at the castle on time, which is actually what your letter said." He doubted she would concede the point but tried anyway.

"Oh? I see." Was all she said.

This confused him more, they had only had one engagement previously but Harry thought he at least knew she was the type of person that would never back down. He suddenly jumped as he felt her press up against his back, her hands snaking around him.

"It's very rude of you Harry you know, to look but not comment." She said in sultry voice.

With her pressing up against him Harry could feel a pulling sensation, along with a few _others_.

"Don't you think this is a little inappropriate? Harry asked, refusing to play her game.

She squeezed him a little tighter. "I can do whatever I want Harry, and I _get_ whatever I want eventually." She thankfully let go and walked around him to sit on the leather sofa. She crossed her legs and Harry quickly looked elsewhere as her nighty rose a little.

"Now Harry," She said, pulling his attention back to her and deciding it was safe to at least look at her face he locked his determined eyes on hers. "Whatever is said, or happens in this room does not leave it, or anywhere for that matter. Am I understood?" Harry simply nodded, knowing full well the consequences.

"Good!" She said happily with a clap of her hands. She didn't drop her hands after however, like someone would normally but instead stared at them for a few seconds before looking back up at him.

"Show me your magic." She told him.

Harry was a little confused, show her _what_ exactly? "What do you want me to do?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

She thought for a minute, putting on a cute act with a finger on her chin. "Oh I don't know, destroy my desk." She said casually with a wave of her hand, as if that was a normal request.

"Destroy… Why would I destroy your desk?" Harry asked, now _very_ confused.

However her tone immediately changed, she was no longer playing. "I told you to destroy it, now do it." She commanded. Deciding it was best that he didn't get on her bad side, or even make her angry for that matter, he destroyed the desk.

 _He_ was a little angry now if he was honest, her personality seemed to change by the minute and he had to play her silly games. Holding his hand out towards the section of the tower where her large desk stood he concentrated for a second before letting a large portion of his magic escape. It was a little _too_ much though. The resulting blast struck the desk, essentially turning it into splinters but also the surrounding area. The large bookcases behind were blown apart and even some brickwork was pushed back as if the space outside was a vacuum. The resulting sound from the blast would probably be heard all throughout the grounds. Not meaning to do that, but not really caring either he turned back around to face her, but she wasn't there.

At the same time a shout came from behind the door to the tower room he was currently standing in. " _Bombarda!"_ The loud male voice yelled. The door was blasted off it's hinges and fell with a loud _thump_ to the ground.

"Drop your wand!" A difference voice yelled, another man and from their uniform Harry saw they were Guards. _Show's how they got here so fast,_ he thought. He didn't have a wand to drop so he couldn't exactly comply, Harry was looking around the room for Athena who would be able to explain why he had just blown a hole in the tower. "Hold on," He said to him. "There's an explanation-" He stopped however as he heard a muffled voice and looked down directly behind him.

Athena was sitting on the floor with what looked like black rope tied around her wrists and a length of black satin around her mouth. _What the actually hell?!_ Harry _really_ wanted to yell that but thought it might make the situation worse.

 _What the hell is she thinking? Is this a game to her, they could kill me!_

He caught her eye. Her bright blue eyes were in no way panicked, if anything she was looking confident and expectantly at him.

 _She's, testing me?_

The men had noticed her on the ground behind him now and had their wands pointed at him. "Move or we kill you, _now!"_ The Guard on the left shouted, a faint green glow on the top of his wand. Athena decided to let out another muffled cry for help which seemed to spur the Guards on and annoy Harry.

Then they started firing spells. Red, purple and blue spells bounced off of the shield Harry had erected in front of him and Athena. More explosions erupted around the room as Harry was slowly being forced back slowly. He was concentrating on keeping his shield formed, it was almost light gold in colour and seemed to shimmer around them. A sharp kick in his lower back almost broke his concentration. Athena has lifted her foot and kicked him, a silent warning that if he didn't fight back there would be trouble.

 _Why is this happening to me,_ Harry thought.

Between the constant barrage of spells and the kick in his back Harry suddenly snapped a little and went on the attack. Expanding his shield suddenly the Guards were pushed back and stumbled, but didn't fall. Raising his hand at the left Guard and like he had done with the desk he let lose a large pulse of magic. The Guard raised his wand in time and formed a shield but Harry's magic seemed to pass straight through and blasted the man across the room and hit the brick wall with a loud crunch. Harry felt guilty but he didn't have a choice. Dodging a spell from the only man left he slammed a fallen bookcase into him that Harry had forced from the corner of the room.

Breathing heavily Harry looked over the destruction he was currently standing in and the two hopefully not dead Guards slumped near each other.

Athena was already unbound and hugging his arm, the feel of her breasts against him. "Oh my saviour, thank you so much." She said with a sickening smile. Harry shrugged her off and took a step back.

"Enough games! What the hell was that about, I could have been killed!" Harry shouted, he felt brave for doing so and also very foolish.

She continued to smile as she moved some splintered wood around with her bare foot. "Oh don't be so dramatic Harry. It was just a little test, no harm done."

"No.. No harm done?! Look at this place, and what's with that whole damsel in distress stunt you pulled?" He knew was only this angry because she tricked him into it and he could feel his magic churning in the pit of his stomach.

Athena sat down on her large leather chair after sitting it back up right. Somehow Harry hadn't damaged it. Her nighty fluttering a little in the breeze from the hole in the wall. "You're my _protector_ Harry, it's your job to protect me after all." She said calmly, still smirking up at him.

"They didn't think I was _protecting_ you, they thought I was going to kill you or something!" Harry retorted back.

Her mood seemed to change again and her cold, calculating voice was back instead of her sweet voice she put on. "Get used to it, Harry. This is how it's going to be, I'm not going to tell you about every little detail. Do as you're told and I'll make sure you and your little pet are safe and sound. Got it?"

At the mention of Hermione, he seemed to sober up quickly and realised he had been shouting.

"I'm.. Sorry, for my outburst."

Athena stood up and strutted over to him. "Good boy." She said, now back in her sweet voice and patted him twice on the cheek. She then continued on and opened the door she had originally come from when he first entered. "Oh, and clean this up." She called out before closing the door behind her loudly, a thoughtful expression on her face that Harry couldn't see.

"And how the hell am I supposed to do that.." Harry muttered to the now silent room as he gazed around at the destruction and unconscious bodies.

* * *

"Mhmm…" Hermione grumbled into her soft white pillow. It had been the most comfortable night she could remember, save from perhaps when she was little. She was still tired but had awoken from a shaft of light shinning on her face. She was warm, but oddly enough it felt strange to her. It wasn't quite the same as using Harry as a personal heater.

She gave a small stretch under the covers, her legs aching a bit from all the running and walking the previous day. Lying on her back she looked up at the plain grey ceiling. Everything had happened so fast yesterday, she still couldn't believe it all. The fact they now had a proper house, which she was thrilled about, and Harry had a job was incredible. The job part she wasn't so fond of, at least, she wasn't fond of Harry's employer. She couldn't help but think Voldemort's daughter was up to something and she was going to use Harry to accomplish it. He could be pretty dense sometimes so she wondered if he would notice or figure it out himself.

After laying in bed for another twenty minutes she decided she needed to get up. Usually when she got up there would be some small chores to do, like fold the washing from last night or clean up the cottage a little. She soon found there wasn't much she could do in the house at the moment. They didn't have their things and the house was almost spotless. The only thing she actually found to do was go into Harry's room and make his bed.

Hermione stood before the front door. Her converse and jumped on with her seal pinned to the front in clear view. She was biting a fingernail as she stared at the back of the red door. It was like the first time she had wanted to go out on her own when they first found the cottage. She had been scared and nervous about going on her own. She had gotten used to it but Harry hadn't been happy when he found out and always told her to wait for him.

 _But there's nothing bad going on here, right? It's a town for magic people._

Hesitantly she unbolted the door and reached for the handle and pulled the front door open. A light breeze immediately hit her and she wished she had a nice warm coat. Hopefully they would be able to get their things from the cottage but she didn't know when that would be. Encouraging herself once again she walked outside and closed the door behind her, locking it with her key.

Their house was right on the street of Hogsmeade and in the day it really did look magical. Hermione couldn't supress the smile as she started to walk slowly down the street, looking this way and that. Stores had all sorts of items in the windows that looked simply fascinating to her. People passed her by, some not caring and others looked questionably at her different clothing, and the fact it was frayed and a little tattered. As soon as they noticed the seal however they simply continued on as if she was a regular. Internally she thanked Harry for it, for giving her this opportunity. If only everyone had a Harry of their own.

She continued on down the streets, looking at more shops and going into a few of them. When she spotted a sign outside of a bookshop she stopped and thought.

 _Help wanted?_

Hermione loved books, and the ones she had or Harry had gotten for her she had read to death. The books were almost falling apart from use. If she thought about it, it wasn't very fare that Harry was doing all the work, she wanted to help out too. Back at the cottage the only jobs around that would hire people without seals were all high labour jobs. She wasn't very strong unfortunately. Determined to do her part now Hermione walked into the bookstore with confidence.

It wasn't a huge bookstore but it wasn't small either. Rows and rows of bookcases filled the majority of the store. Covers of all colours, sizes and material attracted her attention as she brushed her feet against the welcome rug and walked inside properly.

"Hello?" Hermione said into the empty shop. She was standing at the counter where an old styled cash register sat on the polished surface.

A few shuffling sounds could be heard from the back and a fain "Coming!" drifted back to her. Not a moment later a man stood in front of her. He was starting to grey from the looks of it, but he looked well built. Hermione guessed that from shifting heavy books around all day. His eyes quickly darted to her seal and then payed no attention to it again.

"What can I do for you miss?" The older man asked.

"I um, was actually interested in the job you're offering? From the sign?" She asked nervously, all confidence now gone for some reason.

The man, who was in a brown robe looked her up and down again. "You a muggle?" He asked simply, his tone wasn't rude.

"Muggle? I can't do magic no." Hermione replied quietly.

"Hmm… Sorry but it might be a bit difficult, we don't do no muggle books here I'm afraid. Only magical-"

Not wanting to be rude, but wanting the job she cut him off. "Please, sir. I'm a quick learner and I adore books. It won't be a mistake picking me."

Rubbing his stubble he thought about it more. "I dunno miss, it's nothing personal but I just don't think it would work; you know?"

"I'll do a week for free!" Hermione suddenly shouted, not realising how passionate she was being. "If… If you still think I'm not a good fit then I'll quit without a fuss."

She could tell he was really thinking about it now and Hermione had hope, she was secretly crossing her toes. "You sure you can go a week with nothing?" He asked subtly. She knew what he meant, from her clothes, which weren't in the best condition, she looked very poor but she waved it off. "That's fine, I just moved here so I don't have any of my things but I'll be fine my boy-" She quickly had to cut herself off this time and quickly put her hand over her mouth.

 _I almost said boyfriend._ She thought. Slowing turning red she quickly re-phrased it.

"-My roommate works so it won't be a problem."

"Alright, we'll go a week and see." The man said. Hermione looked up with a smile. "Thank you so much, you won't regret it; I swear!" She almost shouted with so much enthusiasm.

"Right well, I 'spose you can start now then?" He asked to which Hermione eagerly nodded. "Well you'll need these then…" The old man plucked his wand from his back pocket and gave it a little flick. A brown apron, a small leather bound book and a quill appeared on the counter between them. Hermione quickly put the apron over her head and tied it behind her back, placed the small book which Hermione assumed was a notebook and the quill in the pocket on the front.

"At the back there, 3 rows down. I need that whole case re-alphabetized. Some big oaf comes in every week and scatters books on Dragon's everywhere. Never puts them back in the right place." He grumbled thinking about it.

Hermione didn't need telling twice and quickly went to work with a huge smile on her face.

* * *

Frank had been following the girl all morning, ever since he'd found out where they were not staying. It hadn't taken much, a few drops of Veritaserum and they spilled everything. Guard's were easy, they all went for the gifts. He had obliviated them afterwards, just to make sure nothing could come back to him.

She seemed like a normal girl, doing well _normal_ things. She looked at the stores, which from her expression on her face, she hadn't seen before. Then she went into the bookstore for awhile, sitting in the small pub across the street he noticed the "Help wanted" sign removed and she never came back out.

"She works fast." Frank said as he placed a few coins on the table before getting up and leaving.

He made his way to a back alley and twisted on the spot before appearing in a shabby looking closet. That closer, which he made his way out of turned out to be a small shed that looked about ready to fall apart. It was the only apparition point on the property. Frank made his way towards a large house sitting on a small hill. The trail he was following was one he and everyone else walked multiple times per day.

Knocking twice on the door he checked his watch, which didn't tell the time but a single number.

"6" he said to the door and the next second the door opened.

"Welcome back, Frank." Lily Potter said and gave him a hug. She had been away for a few days and hadn't seen her friend.

"Hey Lily." Frank said, returning the hug. "Where's Albus? I've got some things to discuss with him."

Lily closed the door and pointed down the hallway. "Usual place, him and James just caught up so he's free now I think."

"He didn't say anything to you?" Frank asked casually.

"Just the usual stuff, all pretty boring actually. We didn't have much luck either." She replied glumly.

Frank gave her a smile and handed her his caught to out waiting hand. With a quick "Thanks." he walked down the corridor, his shoes echoing slightly. Grasping the brass door knob he turned and pushed the door open. Albus was sitting in the large room, with chairs everywhere sitting a glass of amber liquid. Frank closed the door and gave it a tap with his wand before sitting down in front of him.

"Any information?" Dumbledore asked.

"I saw the girl, it was like you said; he wasn't alone. She's working in the bookstore now, in Hogsmeade. She seemed like a good girl, probably having a good influence on him I suspect. Didn't see Harry though, he must have left earlier than me." He said, explaining his information.

Dumbledore didn't say anything straight away and Frank took the opportunity.

"Look, Albus; If we just told Lily and James-" He began.

"We can't." Dumbledore said, cutting him off.

"But-"

"But nothing Frank, I know you're only looking out for your friends but this stays between you and I. If the Potters knew their son was involved with Dumbledore, good _or_ bad, there would be nothing we could do to stop them."

"But _why_ are we stopping them Albus?" Frank asked.

Dumbledore adjusted his glasses and put his drink to one side. On a small spindle legged table.

"What do you think would happen, if Lily knew the location of her son who was so vital for our victory?"

Frank knew the answer already. "She'd go and find him, bring him back here." He said.

"Exactly! She would go out of hiding, I understand her need to wanting her son but she knew that would happen when she made the choice to remove herself from him. The same goes for James. She would risk herself, and the Order to recover him. I know she regrets doing it, but it was the right choice. As long as Harry is safe, which is why I'm telling you this; to keep an eye on him, then he will be able to give us information _when_ the time comes to bring him here. We risk everything otherwise. Your wife died keeping our secret Frank, I cannot allow anyone else to suffer the same way."

Dumbledore finished his explanation with a sigh and reached out to pat Frank on the knee. "I know this is hard, I myself find it difficult to look into the faces of James and Lily and not want to tell them where their son is; that he's even alive." He said solemnly.

Frank nodded, he didn't trust his words at the moment.

"Now," Dumbledore said, perking up a little. "This girl, find out more if you can and that includes her parents if they're still alive. I'll need names if you can, the usual things. Make contact if you can, but be sure to obliviate her."

Frank once again nodded. "Lily said they didn't have much luck? What's happening on that front?" He asked, taking the offered glass of the same amber liquid Dumbledore was drinking.

Dumbledore looked down at the glass in his hand. "Yes… I had hoped it would go better, but unfortunately they faced complications. James was discovered too early while Lily was working in the department of mysteries. They had put up new security which took him by surprise and unfortunately his disguise was seen through. Lily got some much needed information for me, but James took a large brunt of the damage. He's upstairs resting, he'll be fine though." He said with a smile at the thought of his fretting wife micromanaging his recovery.

"So it was enough then?" Frank asked, finally hearing some positive news.

"We're… Making progress." Dumbledore replied with a kind smile. It was the truth, they were making progress however it was slow. Dumbledore would have to re-think a lot of his previous plans. "We're being leaked good information on Voldemort's movements, I suspect he will unveil something soon. He's been quiet for far too long. I unfortunately know him better than anyone, he isn't one to satisfied easily."

Frank nodded once more and stood to leave. Before reaching the door however Dumbledore spoke up one last time.

"I'll be away for a little while, you and Potter's will be in charge of the Order while I'm gone."

"Understood." Frank said, knowing he was going to cut himself off from them to avoid detection in whatever he was going to do. He opened the door and left.

Dumbledore slouched slightly in his chair. It was honestly hard, being the leader of an organization and harder still denying his friends information. Especially to loved ones and family. He was playing a tricky game, versus an even trickier opponent. Voldemort had unfortunately created the game, he was just the player. He had his suspicions on how to do it, but needed a few more key items to accomplish it.

 _Fawkes,_ he thought.

A sudden flash of burning flame and a phoenix appeared on his shoulder. He reached up and stroked his gold plumage gently.

"It's time we put our plan into action old friend. We only have one chance.

In a blink of an eye, they both vanished in a ball of flame.

* * *

Harry collapsed on the leather sofa in Athena's tower room. He had just spent the past hour clearing up the destruction _he_ had caused. Well, he wasn't completely to blame. The crazy psychopath in the other room was the real culprit. The two Guards eventually came round and before they could start firing spells again Athena came out to tell them to get lost and then disappeared again. The smell of burnt wood still lingered but that was the least of his troubles.

He had at least come away with one good piece of knowledge, and that was he could use his magic to repair things; although some things just refused to be repaired, no matter how much magic he pumped seemed to pump out. It wasn't a big deal though, he was sure Athena would get someone else to do it, or perhaps she would do it herself. She was still a mystery in a lot of ways.

The door to what harry assumed was her bedroom suddenly flung open, slamming against the wall.

"We're going out. Take me to Covehithe, it's by the sea." Athena said as she threw a travelling cloak over her shoulders. She was dressed in a silk black robe now, which Harry was thankful for. She still had an ample amount of cleavage on show but it wasn't as distracting as just a nighty. He thought of a problem however, he didn't have a clue how to get there, or take someone there.

"Sorry but… I've never been." Harry said, embarrassed.

Athena raised an eyebrow. "You can't apparate?" She asked, for once sounding confused.

"Er, no… What's that, a spell?" He asked feeling stupid.

He wasn't prepared when she burst out laughing, and it made him feel sick. "You're telling me you can take on 2 Guards at the same time but you can't apparate? You're really something Harry."

He didn't say anything to that, instead just resorted to simply looking at her with a serious expression.

"Whatever, I'll do it this once. Learn it by the end of the week or you'll be sorry." She said, still amused and grabbed his hand. She still felt cold to him and there was a strong urge to throw her hand off of him. The next moment his entire body felt as if it was being compressed through a pinhole and then he landed on cold ground, his stomach lurched but thankfully he kept himself together. Athena didn't care, she was already walking along the grass towards the rough sea. He couldn't see why she wanted to be here, there wasn't much of a breach and the weather was miserable. Recovered and not feeling like he was going to empty his stomach anymore, Harry jogged to catch up. She didn't say anything as they walked along the bank, parallel to the sea. He kept a little space between them and let her lead the way, he didn't have a clue where he was and Harry had an impression that she didn't fully know either.

Eventually after twenty minutes of silence Harry decided to just ask. "So, what are we doing here exactly?" He asked, and then decided to at least talk to her properly and added " _Miss_ " to the end of his sentence. This was the wrong thing to say.

She wheeled around and Harry almost walked into her as at her sudden stop. "Call me _miss_ again Harry and I'll curse your tongue to the roof of your mouth. You'll call me Athena, we have a good relationship do we not?" She said, a tone in her voice Harry couldn't quite work out.

 _Do we?!_

"Sure… Sorry, Athena." He said.

"And to answer your question, that's none of your business. At least, not yet." She added, continuing to walk along the bank.

For what felt like miles they walked and Harry thought she was just doing this to punish him more; until she stopped again. This time, because his thoughts had been elsewhere he really did walk into the back of her. She thankfully didn't comment though. She was looking out to sea now, squinting.

"See that?" She asked him and Harry followed her gaze but could only see cloudy sky on the horizon.

"What am I supposed to be looking at exactly?"

"There," she pointed out to sea. " _Really_ look, Harry." It was strange how nice she sounded as she directed his gaze, it gave him the chills and he didn't feel the cold.

Harry squinted too, trying to see what the crazy witch next to him was seeing. All he could see was a some fog in the distance and a lot of storm clouds that looked like they would be heading this way soon. Internally sighing at how pointless this was he was made to turn to tell her his thoughts, but then he could see something. It looked like a shadow of a large structure, way out to sea. He looked even loser, even leaning in a little and noticed the fog wasn't everywhere; it was covering the structure.

"Theres.. Like a tower, or something." Harry mumbled at Athena who was standing to his left.

"Azkaban, to be exact."

Harry turned his head to face her. "And what's that to the everyday human?" He asked.

"A prison." She said simply, not looking at him. Harry could hear a different tone to her voice, but again couldn't work it out.

"Right… And why are we looking at a prison exactly? Do you need me to go with you or something?" Harry questioned.

Athena crossed her arms and turned to face him, her cold expression back on her face. " _I_ won't be going anywhere, _you_ will be breaking someone out for me." She deadpanned, staring him straight in the face.

Harry's brain stopped for a moment as he processed what she said.

 _Prison. Break someone out._ _Wait what?_

He was going to yell again at how ludicrous this was but thought of a different question. "Why don't you just ask your father? He's in control of it, right?" He said, but this seemed to make her even angrier.

"My _father_ , has essentially locked me. I cannot enter. You on the other hand can, so you'll be going."

Harry waved his outs in front of him. "Wait, wait! I still don't understand… Why do you need someone _inside_ a prison?"

"Because!" She yelled, her face very close to his now. "My father used someone and then locked them away there. I don't know for sure but it all makes sense! You're going to do this Harry, like it or not. Dont, and I'll kill you and your pet!"

Harry took a step back from seeing the look on her face, she looked desperate and _very_ angry. Athena turned away, her fists clenched at her side.

"Who's the person?" Harry asked, realising she wasn't angry at him but instead at Voldemort.

"My mother." Athena said quietly.

 _Why me,_ Harry thought. "Why does it have to be me? Can't any of your Guards go?" He asked, not wanting to do something like this. He was fine with breaking laws Voldemort had governed, but this put a sentence on his head and possibly Hermiones.

Athena turned back around to look at him.

"I'm sick of saying it Harry, so listen closely. You'll do what I say, when I say to do it, and if you don't; well you already know what will happen. This isn't up for discussion, you don't get to ask questions or pry into my life."

"Fine." Harry said, already wanting to flee but at the same time an odd sensation washed over him. "But I do want to know what makes me different, that you couldn't use someone else." He said, refusing to move on that point.

She took her wand from a pocket in her robe and twirled it around in her fingers. "Because you can't carry a wand in Azkaban anymore, my father placed a curse on the place. If you were to bring one, it would erupt in flames."

 _Ah, so that's why._ Harry didn't need a wand to use magic as well as someone who did, it made sense now why she was so interested in him.

"So I go in and find your mother, and what; just bring her back?" He asked. Athena nodded, as if the plan was that simple.

"I think you're forgetting how new to magic I am, I've not been doing it long. Who's to say I can even get there? What if Voldemort finds out?"

"My father won't know, because of the curse he is essentially blind to it. It took a lot of researching to find that out but you're safe from that front. We're doing each other a deal here, Harry. You and your girls protection in return for my mother." She offered her slender hand for him to shake even though they already had a contact.

Harry hesitantly shook it. Not watching her other hand with crossed fingers.


	6. Chapter 6 - Unfolding Events

**Unfolding Events**

Chapter 6

* * *

Harry placed his hand on the door to his new house and felt the lock click open. He wasn't exactly paying attention, his legs having carried him from the castle while he was deep in thought. He was going to have to do something dangerous, that much was certain; and he didn't have a choice. Once again he was forced into something he didn't want to do with the threat of harm befalling Hermione. He wasn't bitter, but he was angry. Angry at the fact that people with power could use him this way, threaten to harm her; it wasn't fair. Never would he actually _tell_ Hermione any of this, for all she knew it was just a horrible job working for a horrible dictators daughter. He hadn't mentioned how much of a psychopath she was, or that unsettling feeling he got in his chest when he was around her, like he had to be closer. He didn't need anymore time with her to know how twisted she was, his first encounter with her proved that.

 _Who the hell seals a job with a kiss?_ He thought bitterly as he tried to suppress that particular memory.

He let his hand drop from the door, never having opened it. Looking down at the stone step he was standing on he thought about what he had to do. Tasked with breaking into a prison where wands were destroyed due to a complicated curse didn't sound appealing if Harry was honest with himself. That and Athena decided to mention there were some sort of spirits called Dementors that can suck out a person's soul. When she had said it Harry had gone very pale. He mostly used his magic on luck and now she wanted him to fend of soul sucking ghosts? It was safe to safe he wasn't feeling very confident. The talk about Athena's mother was interesting though, Harry assumed she was dead; probably killed by Voldemort himself. The fact that her daughter thought she was alive and in azkaban was very interesting. If she was wrong Harry would be risking a lot, if Voldemort found out he was going behind his back then it was safe to say they were both dead, along with Hermione. But once again, he didn't have a choice.

"Earth to Harry?" Hermione said standing in the open doorway, one hand on the door while the other held a thick looking book.

Harry looked up at her but his face was a little glazed and he didn't put two and two together for a few seconds. "Oh, Hermione. Thanks I just got back." He said with a smile and walked through the door she was holding open.

He was still on auto-pilot and he didn't hear the words she was saying as she closed the door, he simply moved down the hallway to the small lounge and sat heavily on the sofa in front of the coffee table.

"...Harry?" She asked again, this time with a little worry in her voice.

"Sorry, I was miles away. What were you saying?"

She raised an eyebrow at him but decided to let it drop thinking he just had a busy day. She was excited to tell him about hers. She sat down on the cozy armchair on the other side of the table so she was facing him and her face beamed brightly at him.

"You'll never guess what happened today!" She started to say, quite hurriedly. He didn't get a chance to reply however as she hurtled on through her story without actually waiting for his input. "I was checking out the village, and yes I know I probably should have waited for you to get back first but I had nothing to do. Anyway… I was looking around and I found this old bookstore called Tome and Scroll and it's brilliant, you wouldn't believe how many books were in there, it looks a lot smaller on the outside but inside; it's incredible!"

Harry could only stare with his eyebrow raised as she continued on with her story.

"I was a bit nervous to go in, you know, not being magical and all but I like books and there was a help wanted sign so I thought what the heck and went in, I can't just sit around here all day while you're doing all the work. Well! There was this old man, he didn't look too old, maybe fifty? Anyway he saw my seal and asked if I was a witch but of course I'm not so he said it probably wouldn't work. I didn't give up though and eventually he let me trial it and guess what?!" She yelled the last few words at him and Harry jumped slightly at the sudden loud noise from the usually quiet girl. Hermione was sitting on the edge of the armchair leaning forward and beaming at him.

"What happened?" Harry asked as he smiled back at her after realising she wouldn't say until he at least asked that.

"I got it! He said I did a great job and to come back tomorrow! Isn't that great Harry? I mean I'm only sorting books and things at the moment, and he said I could maybe read some on my break to get a feel for context and things and maybe work in the back. It doesn't pay all that much... But it's something and I'm being recognised."

Hermione let out a long breath and waited for Harry's reply. On the outside she was all smiles but inside she was a little nervous. Harry had always been very protective of her, and had always put his foot down when it came to her doing any work.

 _We're not outcasts anymore, he'll be happy for me._ She thought determinedly.

Harry was silent for a few minutes, thinking about what she said. He was happy, kind of. He was happy that _she_ was happy but not exactly comfortable with her going out and having a job on her own, especially one that he didn't know much about. He didn't want to be controlling, hell, he knew exactly what that was like now and that was the last thing he wanted to do to Hermione.

"Is it every day?" Harry asked, still holding the smile on his face.

Hermione shook her head. "I have Fridays off."

"Well I'm glad you found something you think is good anyway, even if I am a bit worried."

She beamed back even more and reached over the table and wrapped her arms around his head, giving him a strong hug. "Thanks Harry." She said quietly. She knew it was hard for him. She unwrapped her arms and sat back onto the chair, this time making herself comfortable.

"So how was today? You looked really out of it when you came home..."

Leaning back into the sofa cushions he thought about if he should just come out and tell her. The sudden, almost excruciating pain in his chest from that thought quickly decided that for him. He saw Hermione look at him strangely as his palm quickly jumped to his chest but he passed it off with a cough.

"Nothing terrible, pretty boring actually. She's really weird so it's hard to keep track of what she's thinking or wants to do. I'd much rather work in a bookstore with you." He said with a subtle wink.

 _Where the hell did that come from?_

Hermione blushed and looked away. Harry realised they hadn't spoken about their feelings since that day they kissed. He really wanted too, and it had been on his mind. He needed to pluck his courage up again and talk to her about it, but he wasn't sure how.

"I'll make something for dinner OK? I picked up some things." Hermione said, standing up and walking out of the room towards the kitchen.

Harry let out a sigh before deciding to follow her and help out, pushing all previous thoughts to the side.

* * *

Harry couldn't sleep. He was laying on his back looking up at the ceiling. They had a nice dinner, Hermione could actually cook pretty well when they had actual food that could be cooked. They had mostly been living off of vegetables and sandwiches for the most part. Only very rarely having something _grand_ , and that was if it was given to them by Harry's old boss.

 _Come to think of it I need to speak to him, it's not fair that I just upped and vanished._

They still didn't have their old stuff either, perhaps tomorrow he'll try and talk Athena into letting him go and get it. If she was in a good mood perhaps she might. He didn't actually know what a good mood on her looked like, perhaps anything but scheming or crazy was considered good.

He let out a long sigh into the silent darkness of his bedroom. "Why couldn't this have worked out easier?" He asked himself quietly.

The fact they were both still alive proved he did something right, even if it was stupid to begin with. He also knew that Hermione wasn't telling him everything, perhaps she wasn't comfortable with this new life so suddenly; he wouldn't be surprised and honestly he couldn't blame her. Hermione liked her comforts, he could remember how long it took her to get used to their old place and that was basically one room in the middle of nowhere. Thrust into a larger house in a busy street would play on anyone's mind.

Harry laid there for awhile, simply thinking back on things. If he was honest he didn't even really want to fall asleep. Lately his dreams and nightmares seemed almost too real and his last one included Athena which troubled him. It was bad enough dealing with her in the day, let alone in his sleep. Knowing full well she would be the death of him if he wasn't careful it was difficult to find solutions. The fact he hadn't worked for her long meant he didn't actually _know_ her, so predicting things was difficult.

All his thoughts and frustrations came back to one thing however, and that was Hermione; who was asleep in the other room down the hall. They hadn't spoken about anything and he assumed his new job might be because of it. She was probably thinking some of some silly reason why he would have changed his mind and because he hasn't brought it up since she probably thought she was right.

Sitting up, he decided to just go ahead and do it, screw the timing too. If he didn't do something he would probably never end up doing it and perhaps go a little crazy because of it. Harry accepted his feelings for her, and the fact she responded when they kisses told him that there was a high chance she felt the same. He swung his legs over the bed and stood up and walked to the door, his feet muffled by the thick carpet. Opening it gently, to avoid the creak his door seemed to make he walked down the landing and stopped in front of Hermione's room with his fist raised, ready to knock on the door. He brought his hand down however without knocking and instead reached for the handle, feeling very brave. The door opened quietly, and he closed it behind him. Turning back to the room he saw her sleeping on her side, a few strands of brown hair covered her face and fluttered slightly with her deep rhythmic breaths.

He simply stood there for a moment, watching her sleep. Not because he wanted to be creepy, but simply because his legs wouldn't actually move. They felt like they were made of lead and the internal battle he was now having in his head wasn't helping. Eventually winning he moved closed to her bed as he ignored the thoughts in his head. With a slightly shaky hand he pulled back her thick duvet a little and climbed in. Then, wondering if he really had gone a little inside he rolled over onto his side and wrapped an arm around her, essentially hugging her to him.

"Hermione?" He asked quietly. "Hermione?" He repeated.

She stirred after the second call but she didn't fully wake up. "Mhmmm?" The noise she made clouded Harry's head for a second but he persevered.

"I… I love you, Hermione…" Harry said very quietly next to her ear. He wasn't planning to just come right out and say it but the fact she was hard to wake up at night was proving difficult for him to formulate a plan on telling her. So he just decided to tell her.

She made the same noise again, which in her sleepy state sounded heavenly to him. He could swear he saw a smile on her face and she even pushed herself against him a little more as he held her. Feeling happy he rested his head deeper into the pillow and closed his eyes, the smell of her shampoo distracting his senses as he drifted off to sleep. Just before he fell asleep however he had one last thought cross his mind.

 _She heard me though, right? She's not just using me as a hot water bottle again?_

* * *

Birds chirped outside as Hermione stirred. She rolled onto her back and stretched her limbs under the warm duvet, wanting to savour it. Her hands came to rest on her stomach and she blushed a vivid red when she remembered last night. She hadn't worn a t-shirt last night as her only clothes were drying. She could still feel his soft touch resting on her exposed stomach as she slept against him.

These thoughts caused her to suddenly pull the duvet above her head and close her eyes.

"He said he loved me." She whispered to herself under the duvet. "He actually said it…"

She hadn't really woken up completely when she felt his hands grasp her. But she heard every word he said. She slept so soundly and comfortable that it almost seemed unfair he had to leave earlier than her. She wished she had woken up with him, to tell him how she felt. She hoped he understood that the feeling was mutual and that she wanted a relationship with him. She felt almost giddy, like a schoolgirl as she thought back to last night. How comfortable it felt, how well she slept and especially the warmth. Harry had always been a portable furnace, it was another of his mystery qualities.

Deciding it was time to get up, the clock on her wall showing nine o'clock. She had to be at the bookstore for ten but that left her plenty of time to get dressed and cook some food.

 _I hope Harry got some food, I wonder what he has for breakfast._

She pulled on her now dry and clean jeans and top, and almost skipped down the stairs with a smile plastered on her face. Almost dancing around the house she tidied a few things up from last night, putting books away and sorting out the food she had bought yesterday even though she had done it last night. It had been a long time since Hermione had felt as happy as she did. The war had done serious damage to a lot of people, including in other countries. She wondered if she was allowed to be this happy, to have someone as great and caring as Harry.

After she had finished busying herself with odd jobs and some breakfast she took a glance at the clock and found it was nearly time to leave for work. Jogging back into the living room when she almost forgot her key and seal she laced up her trainers and walked to the front door. Closing it behind her and listening for the loud _click_ of the lock tumbling into place she stashed the key in her front right pocket and made her way down the street.

It was an odd feeling she came to realise as she walked down the cobbled street of the village. Not many people were up at this time even though it wasn't that early, but there were enough people to make it feel alive. She liked that, having lived on the outskirts for so long she had forgotten what it was like to see so many people on a daily basis. Hermione continued to walk briskly to her destination, which wasn't far away. Occasionally scratching the back of her neck, she had a sort of itchy feeling ever since she left the house and wondered if perhaps the power she had used to wash her clothes with didn't agree with her. It was there when they had arrived so she thought nothing of it, what harm could it do.

As she approached the door the Tome and Scroll she felt a little nervous. The old man said she had done a good job with surprise in his voice and told her she had the job, but she only realised it then. Pushing the door open the bell jingled above her head and she walked inside, the door closing behind her.

"Excuse me," She said said as loudly as she could, her nerves getting the better of her. "Mr. Richards?"

A few seconds of the sound of boxes being shuffled around and the old man appeared behind the large oak counter. "Oh you're here already," He said, glancing at the clock behind him. "5 minutes early too." Which caused Hermione to slightly panic internally, not really understanding _why_ she was panicking.

She was put at ease as he spoke up again in his usual gruff voice. "Eager for the job eh, no problem. Good timing actually. Here," He said and bent down to grab something behind the counter. "Put that on and come back here, we got some new books on apparition and I want you to find a good place for them, might need to shuffle some shelves around." He passed her a small brown apron and Hermione quickly put it over her head and wrapped the thin cords around her waist, tying them behind her back in a small bow.

Mr. Richards showed her all sorts of books that morning and while at first she had been scared that her constant questions would annoy him she quickly learnt that he liked the questions. He was a book fanatic like herself and that to Hermione felt like she was destined to work there.

The morning passed quickly after that, she found a good place to put the new books and even had a little time to read some of it. To say she was fascinated by it all was an understatement, she was actually a little jealous that she couldn't do magic. There was so much that it opened up in the world. A few memories of the day Voldemort had taken over completely and announced the presence of witches and wizards came to her mind. The way he had lorded it over them all, it still made her sick to think about. Just because she wasn't a witch didn't mean she wasn't a person, and she hoped one day she would be able to prove it.

The sound of the door bell brought her out of her clouded thoughts and she quickly placed the last book she had in her hand on the shelf. Picking up the now empty box she made her way through the shelves and towards the front where she positioned herself behind the counter where she placed the box on a stack of empty ones.

"Can I help?" She asked politely with a small smile.

Mr. Richards had shown her what to do, as he wanted to spend a lot of time in the back where he noted everything from genre's to prices. He also spoke to people about sales and getting new or rare orders in. Apparently he used the fire to do this, that had confused her a little until he explained it. She was even given a little rectangular badge with her name on it. She wore it next to her seal with bride.

The man, who had walked in wore a dark green robe and she could have sworn she saw a flash of light coloured wood in his sleeve as he placed his hands awkwardly on the counter in front of him.

"Ah, yes actually…" He said giving the shop a once over before looking back at her. "Hermione, is it?" He asked noticing the name badge. She nodded back. "Is there something specific you're looking for?" She asked him but he seemed to be internally thinking, his face looked a little glazed as she waited.

"Dragons!" He suddenly proclaimed loudly, causing her to jump slightly. His face suddenly looking worried. "Yes, er, anything on dragons by chance?" He said, now back to using his inside voice.

"Anything specific or anything on the genre?" She questioned, already moving from behind the counter and asking him to follow her.

"Oh, anything really, I'll probably find what I'm looking for if I see it." He said as they weaved through the stacks of books and shelves. "Why not start here?" He said suddenly pointing to the row that started with 'D'.

"But books on dragons are on the other side, next to-" She began to say but he simply smiled and waved his hand in a dismissive fashion. "No problem, I'm not even sure what I really want anyway."

Not wanting to annoy her first customer she agreed. The man looked up and down the shelves, but to Hermione it didn't really look like he was paying much attention. Every time she commented on a book that had some connection to dragons he waved it off, saying that wasn't exactly what he was looking for. She was starting to get a little annoyed, she had things to do. She prides herself on her memory and already she had a great mental map of where most things were in the store. If the man simply _told_ her what he wanted she could probably find it in a few minutes.

"So…" He began casually as he pulled a book seemingly at random and flicked through the pages. "Did you just start here? I didn't think anyone else worked here." He asked.

Hermione looked at the book he was reading, _Disappearing Disasters_ and internally questioned the man's intentions. "I just started." She replied. He kept glancing at her when he thought she wasn't looking but it didn't take a genius to notice it. "Sorry but are you sure you're looking at the right books, if you want something on dragons I can assure you you'll probably find them on the other side." She said a little quickly.

He simply chuckled and apologised, saying his thoughts were a little scattered today. She showed him around the other side and again commented on some books she knew about from reading the titles and a few pages of some. He just went back to picking random books up and asking her questions.

"A seal huh? I've not seen you around the village. Are you new then?" He asked as he continued flicking through a few pages, deicing it wasn't what he wanted and placing the book back on the shelf.

The questions seemed to keep catching her by surprise as her brain was struggling to work the man out and what he was looking for. "No. I mean, yes. Yes I'm new to the village. My boy-" She quickly shut her mouse as her words almost spilled from her mouth and she blushed. Putting more thought into her words she tried again. "My friend and I. We recently moved here, a few days a go. I'm not a witch though, but I got this. He's a wizard though, he can do magic."

She turned and this time it was her who scanned the shelf randomly as she tried not to blush at the thought of what she had almost called harry.

 _Boyfriend?_ She thought, chastising herself. _He admitted he liked you but don't think so far ahead._

"-Miss?" The man said. Hermione jumped and turned back around to face him. "Y-Yes?" She stammered, internally groaning at how stupid she sounded when she did that.

He waved a book he held in his hand in the air. "I'll take this one." He said giving it a pat.

Hermione nodded and took the book that he was offering and the pair made their way back to the counter. She wrapped the book neatly in brown packing paper and tied the package up neatly with some yarn, why they didn't just use sellotape was beyond her. She punched the numbers into the old style cash register and nervously pushed the button that would open the till. The tray shot out and coins instantly appeared in it's depths. When Mr. Richard had said he would show her how to use the magical cash register she had thoughts of wonder. If anything it scared her a little to use, like it was going to bite her fingers off.

"That'll be a galleon and fifteen knuts please." She said and accepted a gold and silver coin in return as she placed the package on his side of the counter.

Mentally doing the math quickly having been shown the different coins before hand she placed the coins in the register and retrieved 14 knuts as change and handed them over.

"Thank you very much and have a good day." She said as if someone had just rehearsed their lines.

The man smiled, picked up the package and gave a little wave of thank before leaving the shop.

Hermione stayed behind the counter, thinking back on the engagement.

"Strange guy." She said out loud before picking up box of old books and taking them into the back storage.

* * *

"Again!" Athena yelled from her comfortable chair in her tower room. One leg crossed over the other as she looked down at harry who was on all on fours, breathing heavily.

"How about you do it over and over again when you don't even really understand what you're doing and see how _you_ feel." Harry replied angrily, looking up and glaring into her eyes. It only seemed to cause Athena to smirk. He always found it a little creepy how he always looked him straight in the eyes, a look of hunger on her face most of the time.

Athena stood and picked up a thick looking book before hitting Harry over the head with it. It wasn't the first time it had happened. "I've already explained it to you Harry. You need to think of a happy thought and think of the spell." She said, he could almost feel the condescending tone in his bones.

He stood up, a little shaky on his legs with all the effort he had been putting in over the early afternoon and rubbed his head. "I don't exactly have many happy memories, your good old father saw to that."

Another hit with the book shut him up.

"Harry. I'm a very patient person but you're starting to piss me off." She said, daring him to speak out of turn again. She took a few steps towards him and grabbed his robes just above his chest and pulled him a little towards her. They were nearly the same height, but it didn't stop her looking intimidating. "We had an agreement, if you can't even get this part right you're no use to me." She let go of his crumbled robe and smoothed it out for him, spending a little too much time on it in his opinion. "Now no more messing around and really try for me, OK?" She said, pouting a little bit, her words suddenly sweet and cheerful. If anything it had the opposite effect on Harry.

He nodded, even though he was internally cursing the psychopath. How he was supposed to learn a spell that apparently most adult wizards couldn't do, he didn't know. He didn't have a choice though so perhaps that was the difference. "Fine." Was all he said as she made her way back to her chair and sat down with a little jump. Crossing her leg over the other again she rested her elbow on her thigh and held her head in her hand as she stared at him.

Already knowing that look and the trouble he would be in if he kept failing he concentrated as hard as he could and wracked his brain for the happiest memory he could think of. The only one that popped into his head was last night when he told hermione he loved her. He held onto it, thinking about how warm she felt and how even sleeping she was beautiful. Feeling a slight warmth in his feet that was slowly moving upwards he held out his hand and concentrated again. He thought the words of the spell in his head over and over again.

 _Expecto Patronum. Expecto Patronum._

With his eyes closed he didn't see the glass oil lamp on the far desk explode and he ignored any sounds around him, worried he would lose the feeling. As the feeling got to his hands he suddenly felt his magic surging around himself.

One last chant of the phrase in his head and he opened his eyes as he could feel what felt like cold air coming from his hand. It turned into a light blue mist, moving around him and created a see through dome. The mist continued to appear, getting thicker and thicker until he could barely see out of it. Not really knowing what to do as he stood in a small dome of light blue mist that sparkled when the light hit it he decided to just wait for Athena's instructions. A problem arose when he realised he couldn't hear anything, it was as if he was cut off from the world.

He saw a very blurry outline rise from the chair Athena was sitting in. He saw her reach out and touch it, wondering if she would be repelled. He was surprised however when the tips of her fingers appeared through the mist on his side of the sphere. It was followed by the rest of her hand and then her body as she walked through. They were both very close, the dome around them not being very big. She looked around with a smile on her face before moving behind him and pressing herself up against his back.

"I'm very impressed Harry." She said quietly into his ear. Her breath warm and distracting. He assumed it was another test and concentrated on not dropping the dome. She smiled when he didn't react. She placed her lips gently on his neck before whispering to him again. "Not many people could produce this, especially after only a day. I was right to pick you. You're just a barrel of untapped potential aren't you?" Her hands were wandering and her voice, barely a whisper was heavily distracting him. It wasn't until he felt pressure on his lips did he stop the spell.

He took a unbalanced step back, a hand on the wall steadying himself. The spell had instantly vanished the moment he lost concentration but Athena wasn't yelling, if anything she looked like christmas had come early. Almost bursting with excitement.

 _Is she pacing?_ He thought as he watched her move back and forth, whispering to herself. If he didn't already know she was crazy he would have thought she looked a little cute. Like an actual girl instead of the daughter of a mass murderer.

Athena suddenly stopped and turned to look at Harry. "You're to practice that spell at any chance you get for the next few days." She said suddenly serious again. "I want you to be able to cast it any moment, even with distractions."

Harry internally sighed, he really was unlucky. "What's the big need for this anyway? You said there were guards. They can't have wands so I can just incapacitate them?" He asked, only now getting time to actually question the method to her madness. The moment he had arrived at the castle and her tower she put him instantly to work. He was exhausted, he was trying to not let it show but he was using the wall to stay up right more than he would care to admit.

"Oh, I didn't say?" She said in mock confusion, crossing her arms. He damn well knew she didn't say. "Dementors, they're the guards. It won't be humans like you or me."

 _I'm not sure you're a good definition of human._ He thought bitterly.

"Besides, you've proven you can cast the spell. A few more days and I'm confident you'll have it down. This plan has to work, there won't be any compromises Harry." She flicked her wand which she had picked up at the shattered glass of the lamp and he watched as it repaired itself and sprang back to light, casting a warm glow over the wall. Even with the windows on the tower the room itself seemed to almost block it out. Most of the light came from the candles or lamp fittings. Athena let out a sigh of contempt as she collapsed on her large sofa in the corner of the room. "I'm dreadfully tired." She said, giving him a puppy dog look as she stretched her legs out in front of her.

" _You're_ tired?" He couldn't stop himself asking.

Athena simply raised an eyebrow at him, daring him to say more.

The rest of the afternoon was long and drawn out for Harry. They went over and over the Patronus Charm again and again. Athena got to the point where she started summoning objects into the path of Harry, causing him to either suck up and take the small hit or move out of the way but risk losing concentration. Eventually Harry started to feel comfortable casting the spell and holding it for a sustained time, that was until Athena got annoyed at how smug he sounded and summoned a small wardrobe into him.

Eventually the day ended and Harry returned home, staggering a few times on his way from exhaustion.

* * *

The smell of cooking filled the house Hermione was currently standing in, bent over a open book with a frown on her face. The stew she was trying to make, according to the book should be dark brown in colour. Her's however was a lot lighter than she thought it should be. Finally giving up and conceding to her poor cooking skills she turned the gas burner on the stove off and closed the book. It would need to sit for a few minutes before being dished up and if her hunch was right, Harry would be walking in every minute.

As she was putting the book back on the small shelf above on the wall of the kitchen she heard a soft thud on the front door. Her calm and relaxed state instantly vanished and she quickly thought back on if she locked the door when she got home or not. Deciding she was right and she had in fact locked it, she moved forwards towards it.

"Hello?" She called out nervously.

There was no reply and for a moment she wondered if perhaps her mind had made up the noise. It was pretty late, no one should be calling at this time, but it wasn't impossible. She stood in front of the door, one hand on the handle and the other holding the large key. She placed the key in the lock and gave it a few turns before pulling the door open.

Almost immediately she jumped back letting out a squeak of a sound, which she wasn't sure how she produced as a body flopped into the house.

"Hello." It said quietly but calmly.

"H-Harry? What on earth are you doing?" She said as he lied there, his legs still outside but his upper body now lying on the carpet.

Hermione looked down at him as he lied there on his back, he looked exhausted. "Do you, want a hand?" She asked and held out her hand but he shook his head. "Just give me a minute and I'll be fine. Dinner smells nice though, what are you making?" He asked, his casual tone really throwing how she should be feeling when he was basically collapsed on the floor.

"It's stew…"

"What kind of stew?" He asked looking up at her upside down.

"Potato… Look Harry, are you going to lay in the middle of the door for the rest of the night or are you coming in?" She said with a frown. "It's cold too."

Harry grumbled about something she couldn't quite here and slowly pushed himself off the ground. She saw he was a little shaky and he took her hand as they walked into the living room. The cold almost instantly vanished with the door now closed and Harry's hand in hers. Once in the living room she pushed him gently down into the sofa.

"Stay there, I can see you're tired. Dinner won't be long, although don't get your hopes up… I mean I followed the book down to every detail but it didn't come out exactly as the book said so-" She was rambling but Harry cut her off and smiled.

"I'm sure it's great Hermione, can't wait; I'm starved."

Hermione stepped back, letting go of his hand and internally frowning as the pleasant warmth faded and took a seat on the comfortable chair in front of him. "So how come you're so tired?" She asked as she watched him pull his legs up onto the sofa, lying down.

"Oh, Athena had me learning this new spell.. Patronus Charm, or something. I've er, for to go and fetch something for her and I need to know that spell to get past some things." He said, trying to keep his voice casual.

"Things?" She pressed.

"Yeah, just some guards; no big deal."

Hermione frowned at him, not that he noticed as he was looking up at the ceiling but something sounded fishy to her. She could have sworn she had read something about the Patronus Charm today, it warded off something but she couldn't quite remember what.

"Hang on, let me grab a book I brought back; you should read it too it's so interesting-" She didn't finish her sentence however as she heard him start to breath evenly and noticed he was asleep.

Rolling her eyes she got up and walked down the hallway to the little table by the door where she usually kept her key in a small ornate glass bowl. The book was sitting there next to it, which she picked up. She stood in the doorway as she flicked through the pages until she found the spell Harry was talking about. Her eyebrow rose slightly with each sentence she read until she snapped the book shut quickly and stormed into the living room.

She didn't break stride until she reached the coffee table in front of Harry, to which she slammed the book down hard on it causing Harry to jump and nearly fall off the sofa, his eyes going everywhere looking for the source of the noise. He was about to ask why the hell she did that but he stopped, his mouth half open when he noticed the look on her face.

" _Dementors_?! That's this 'thing' is it?" She yelled, pointing at the book. "I knew I heard about that spell today, it's a complicated charm to repel Dementors!"

Harry sank back into the sofa as she yelled angrily. He wasn't quite sure what to say.

 _How the bloody hell does she know about that already. I knew her working in a bookstore was trouble._ He thought as tried to think his way out of an argument.

"L-Look Hermione, it's no big deal.. I can do the spell, I'll be fine-"

"FINE!?" She yelled louder. "You even know what a dementor is Harry?" She asked.

He thought back to what Athena had said, quickly realising she hadn't said much at all honestly. He was too tired to care all that much. "Of course I do-" He paused again as her eyebrow shot up. "Sort of." He admitted.

" _Sort of_ …" She said under her breath, as if struggling to believe what she was hearing. You're doing whatever that woman wants you to do with the knowledge of 'sort of'? I thought you had more sense than that Harry?"

Harry was getting annoyed now. He was frankly exhausted, he just wanted to eat her stew and go to bed but she wasn't done and ploughed on with her confrontation.

"What's she got you doing Harry, that you need to defend yourself against creatures that can _suck out your soul_?" He thought she asked that question pretty calmly, but he quickly realised it was a false calm to lure him in.

The answer to her question quickly came to the front of his mind. Athena plan and his involvement but a sudden force in his chest prevented him from actually saying it. "I… I can't say, Hermione." He said softly, more worried about the feeling of not being able to say what he wanted then anything else.

She stood in front of him, her arms crossed and foot slightly tapping but she didn't say anything to that. She simply stared into his eyes as if she was trying to extract the information herself.

"Last night, you said you loved me right?" She suddenly said, her voice soft.

Harry knew exactly what kind of loaded question that was and stood up. "Hey now that's not fair, what I said last night has nothing to do with this Hermione!" He shouted back.

"Answer the question!"

"Yes, I do love you; of course I do!" He yelled, his brain aching at all the thinking she was making him do.

She took a step back as he tried to reach out for her. "But you can't tell me, right?" She asked, even quieter than before.

"No." He replied after a moment.

She stepped forward and for a moment Harry thought she was going to hit him but instead she shoved him hard in the chest so he fell back against the sofa before running out of the room. He heard her heavy steps as she disappeared up the stairs.

* * *

An hour later, after Harry cleaned his bowl he'd used to eat Hermione stew with he picked up another bowl and ladled out some into it before placing it on the counter with some clear paper wrapping over the top.

She hadn't come down at all, even after he called up the stairs to her a few times. He knew why she was angry, he would be pretty angry if supposedly the person who said they cared about you the most couldn't tell you something important that may or may not be life threatening. He unconsciously rubbed his chest as he once again thought about Athena's plan that he was supposed to enact. He wasn't all that worried about it, but now he thought about Hermione's words he didn't really want to risk having his soul sucked out. He would have to read what she had read.

Plucking up his courage, which he realised he had been doing a lot lately he dried his hands one more and walked out of the kitchen towards the hallway. Climbing the stairs slowly he stopped outside of Hermione's room and tapped his knuckles against the door, waiting for a reply.

"Hermione?" He called out, hoping she would reply. She didn't.

A tinge of annoyance that she was acting a little immaturely for her age he opened the door and walked in. The candle on her wall wasn't lit so the room was pretty dark, only a small amount of moonlight filtered through her thin curtains. He noticed a small mass on the bed and walked to the other side. He climbed in and wrapped his arms around her in the same was he did last night. She didn't push away.

"I'm sorry I can't say, but are we OK?" He asked quietly, hoping he would get an answer out of her.

He felt her move his right arm that was over her waist and she hugged it. "No." She said bluntly, causing Harry to smile a little. "But we'll talk about it tomorrow."

Harry let out a sigh he had been holding for awhile now and nodded his head, even if she couldn't see him do it.

"I meant what I said, last night i mean. I really do mean it."

"Good." Was all she said but he knew by the tone of her voice she was a least a little bit happier.

Trying his luck he spoke up again. "I ate some of the stew by the way, pretty good but maybe don't add so many onions next time." He said trying to lighten the mood.

She followed up by elbowing him in the ribs.


	7. Chapter 7 - Lying to Loved Ones

**Lying to Loved Ones**

Chapter 7

* * *

The following morning Harry woke up a little earlier than he needed too before heading to the castle. He hadn't woken up naturally, rather the ending to the dream he had been having caused his eyes to fly open. He could feel his heart beating strongly in his chest, taking a moment to wonder if it always beat that strongly. His dream had been vivid, almost too real. It really felt like he had been there, in the middle of the flame and ruins. People were there, but he could never make out their faces or remember anything about them. Rubbing his eyes with both palms he tried to push the thoughts out of his head.

When his headache finally dulled down he looked over to his left to see the sleeping form of Hermione, her mouth slightly open on her pillow as she breathed rhythmically. He would never point out how she slept, for fear of his life; but he did think she was still beautiful.

His thoughts turned to the previous night and their small argument. She wanted to talk about it, but Harry couldn't say even though he wanted too. He wasn't sure what was going on but he assumed it was something Athena did in one of their agreements. Magic was still knew to him and he had far too much to learn about.

With a sigh he let the weight of his head sink into the pillow, thinking about how he was going to ease Hermione's worries. He didn't know much about Dementors for one thing and he was beyond angry at Athena for not telling him everything, not that he should be surprised. He was fairly confident she kept almost everything to herself.

 _Tap, tap._

Lifting his head up to the sound he looked around the room until his eyes fell on the closed window with what looked like a brown owl sitting on the ledge outside. It had a triangle of paper in it's beak. He quickly looked back at Hermione to make sure it hadn't woken her up before carefully and quietly slipping out of bed.

 _Tap, tap._

"OK, OK you stupid bird hold on." He whispered at it, knowing full well it couldn't hear or understand him.

As soon as he opened the window the owl dropped the piece of what he now saw was a folded up piece of parchment in the shape of a triangle. Looking back at the window he watched as the owl flew away into the foggy morning sky. Grumbling he bent down and picked up the parchment and closing the window. Sitting down softly on the corner of the bed he unfolded the parchment and read what was written.

 _You're here by required to present yourself to Lord Voldemort today at 4 o'clock._

Just reading the first sentence was enough to make his blood go cold. The rest of the letter consisted of where to go, which was thankfully his office in the castle but according to Athena he was rarely there.

 _Why on earth does he want to see me?_ He thought, perplexed at what the reason could be. Athena had most likely already told him about the position she had given him.

Deciding it was better to not think about it he held the letter in his hands and thought about it burning. A second later the edges started to smolder as it slowly turned into ash that seemed to disappear with it. The more he used his magic the easier it seemed to become second nature, a downfall however was it seemed to fuel his dreams and nightmares. He didn't like hiding things from Hermione, but he knew it would worry her and the fact she was already worrying about things meant it wasn't a great time to mention it. He felt terrible, especially with how he felt about her but he was doing all of this for her so perhaps she would understand eventually.

Not wanting to depress himself any further he got dressed and quietly left the room, making sure the door didn't make a sound as he closed it. He walked down the stairs and as he past the small hallway table he paused, looking back. The dark leather bound book Hermione had been reading was laying there where he had put it last night before going up.

Turning around he picked the book up and flicked to where it spoke about Dementors. His face paled slightly after he had finished reading the page, there wasn't much information but what was there was enough to give him a whole load to think about. Assumingly corporeal spirits that are neither alive or dead. They produce an icy cold aura and fill humans nearby with a sense of despair. Able to rip a soul from a human body with what was considered the 'Dementor's kiss' along with the ability to make you relive your worth memories.

Harry closed the book slowly and placed it back down on the small spindle legged table. He would have to talk to Athena about it, not that he expected any answers but she might at least explain more about what the prison really held. If he was going to go along with her plan he wanted more facts.

Somehow the time had slipped past him and he needed to head to the castle or he would be late. Quickly grabbing some fruit from the kitchen he stuffed the banana in his large robe pocket while he started to eat an apple. It wasn't the best breakfast, and Hermione would probably scold him but he was running a little late. He closed the front door quietly behind him and started walking up through the village, lost in thought about what he would say to Hermione about it all.

A few times he stopped and looked over his shoulder, feeling a presence that he couldn't describe. It was magical, that much he knew but whether it was a person or not would be a guess at best. Finally reaching the castle he made his way past the guards on duty and climbed the many stairs to Athena's tower and knocked on the door.

"Enter." Came the feminine reply from beyond the door.

Harry pushed the heavy door open and closed it behind him. Walking into the room he saw she was putting on a travelling cloak and wondered where she was going. As if reading his mind she answered.

"We're going to Diagon Alley. I'm in need of some books that I hope to find." She said, slightly muffled as she pulled the collar of her cloak up over her mouth. "How did you not freeze to death?" She questioned, his new robes were bulky but they were more for style and imposing an image than practicality.

"I don't really feel the cold…" He said, wondering if she thought he knew a spell to make himself warm.

Athena stared at him for a moment before walking towards him and grabbing his hand. She had always noticed how warm it was, but she found it interesting he couldn't feel the cold. As if he was always at the correct temperature. It seemed to flow through her as she continued to hold, it felt foreign to her.

Without any warning, they both disappeared from the tower room.

Harry stumbled on the hard cobbled road beneath his feet as they both appeared there. His very light breakfast threatening to come back up but he kept his composure. He was about to complain to her about suddenly doing that but he quickly noticed nearly everyone was watching them. He could feel eyes from all around him, staring at them before realising it was only _her_ they were staring at. He just looked like a guard with a fancier uniform. She felt her grip his hand tightly and started to walk down through the narrow street.

He wasn't really paying much attention to what she was looking for as they walked, though due to his job he probably should have. He was far more interested in the all the stores that flanked the road. Large and small buildings containing all sorts of magical items. He couldn't look around fast enough. Hermione would love it, and he made a mental note to take her.

"Eyes on me Harry, you're here to protect me." She said quietly as they passed a sign on the wall Harry didn't quite catch.

Harry wondered how much protection she actually needed. He had no doubt she could probably hold her own with anyone but perhaps it was the amount of people around them that perhaps worried her.

The street instantly seemed darker, the light not penetrating as well. The buildings looked danke and dusty and it's residents no better. Harry could feel the air around his hands tingle, as if magic was in the very air here, a thick oppressive cloud. It felt dark and heavy. Athena was looking around, as if not sure where first to look.

 _Does she not get out often?_

Harry hoped she didn't ask him, he barely knew about magic let alone where they even were.

It wasn't long until something happened. Athena had stopped outside of a small bookstore that Harry wondered was even open. The door looked like it had been repaired far too many times and the windows so grimy you couldn't see through them clearly. He felt it before he even saw what had happened. Magic was coming their way, it was if he could feel the distortion as if he threw a rock in a pond. It wasn't his quick reflexes that was moving his body in front of Athena's, he hadn't even thought about it in time but a strong forced willed his legs to move in that direction, successfully blocking her frame with his. Hand raised in front of him a small golden shield appeared in front of his hand, just enough to cover it. It shimmered in the low light and in the next moment a jet black light struck against it forcefully. His hand was pressed back but he held strong and the spell was deflected down onto one of the cobbled bricks of the road. Harry watched as it slowly crumbled to dust, as if it's decay had been sped up. It all happened so fast he was still trying to piece together what exactly had happened. No sign of where the spell had come from could be seen and the dark street was suddenly almost empty but what he was most curious about was the force that commanded him to move.

A soft grip on his shoulder brought him out of his thoughts. "I'm impressed Harry." She said softly to him, not quite hiding her excitement.

"I… Don't know where it came from." He said, his brain still in overdrive. He had a pounding headache and his heart was beating far too quickly.

She let go of his shoulder and he turned around to see her shrug. "No matter, we're here anyway." She said as if it wasn't a problem and walked into the store behind them.

Harry followed behind her, rubbing the his forehead slightly. He decided to just stay by the door, the shop wasn't very big and it felt like the correct thing a protector would do. He watched as she browsed the shelves, picking up dusty books an placing them back down again without a second thought.

He noticed she was in a section marked 'Rituals' and wondered what it contained. His eyes met hers as she was reading through some pages of the latest book she selected and she gave him a piercing stare. He looked away and tried to view the street through the grime coated windows but he couldn't really make out anything. It felt like they had been in there for hours until Athena declared she was done and handed him a few books wrapped in brown paper.

 _I guess 'Royal Protector' also translates too 'Royal holder of things'._ He thought, grumbling to himself.

Keeping a firm grip of the books he felt her grab his hand again and the uncomfortable feeling of being compressed through a tube once again filled his body. Unfortunately this time Harry wasn't so quick with his footing and fell over backwards.

"Graceful." Athena said smugly as she smirked at him, taking the packages from his hands and walking over to her desk. She didn't bother to spare him a look to see if he was OK.

Seated at her desk she started tearing the brown paper from one of the books. "You can leave for today, I'll be busy. Practice your Patronus, you'll be going there soon." She said. "Oh, and read up on apparition, get a book from the village or something."

Harry stood back up and tried to take a quick look of the book she was unwrapping but Athena noticed and gave him another piercing stare. "I told you to leave." She said, annoyed.

"Fine." Harry said. "But I've got to see your father at four so I'll be back, I had a letter this morning." Harry expected her to be fine with that and tell him to get out again so he wasn't prepared when she slammed the book down on her desk.

"What?!" She yelled, standing up. "What do you mean you have to see him?"

Harry understood how angry she could get and unconsciously took a step backwards. "I had a letter… This morning, why is it such a big deal?" He asked, confused at her sudden distress. Her book lay forgotten on the table as she walked to stand in front of him with her wand in hand.

"Because!" She shouted, a few sparks flew out of the end of her wand. "My _father_ is a master legilimens."

He stared back at her blankly, watching her eyebrow twitch.

"Am I supposed to know what that means?"

For second he thought she was about to scream but instead she quickly raised her wand at him, level with his face. " _Legilimens!_ " She shouted and before Harry could do so much as blink he was standing in a black room on his own.

The walls, floor and ceiling were all black. A single candle on the floor next to him giving a faint glow of light.

"Hello?" He asked into the darkness, expecting to see or hear Athena.

He took a few tentative steps forward but nothing changed. Every step he took the room seemed to move with him. The lack of light was playing on his headache, it seemed to throb with every flicker of the flame.

Deciding he couldn't move anywhere he crouched down and placed a hand on the floor. It was cool, and soft. His feet felt like they were on solid ground but if he pressed with his hand it felt like he could break through with enough force, as if it was thick rubber. "Where the hell am I?" He whispered. There were no signs of life, just him and the candle. His headache was getting worse the longer he stayed in this place. Wishing to leave and getting frustrated he hit the floor as hard as he could and the next moment he was sprawled on top of Athena back in her office.

"What the-" He began to say but Athena shoved his chest and he rolled off of her.

She stood quickly and Harry couldn't make out her whispers as she spoke to herself.

 _She really is crazy._ He thought, pushing himself up off the ground for the second time that day and standing up.

Turning to face him she spoke in a calm voice. "What was that Harry? That room." She asked.

"You saw it too? I don't know… First time I've ever been there. What on earth was that, what did you do?" He replied, hoping to get at least _some_ answers.

"I tried to read your thoughts and memories-"

"You can do that?" Harry cut in, worried at how his privacy could be at risk. He saw the annoyed look on her face and didn't say anything after that.

"Yes. It takes a skilled legilimens to do it, but that's the idea. A good thing for us however was that I couldn't do what I wanted too."

Deciding it was safe to ask he wondered where she was going with this. "And why is that a good thing, exactly?" He asked.

Very frustrated she stamped her foot on the ground. "Because! My father will without a doubt try and breach your mind. If he finds out about my plan…" She trailed off, suddenly sounding small.

 _Ah._

Harry understood instantly why she was so worried. While he apparently couldn't tell anyone directly, that didn't stop anyone from peering into his mind and getting the information himself.

"The good news is I'm a fairly accomplished legilimens, the bad news is he's far better." She said, her confidence back in full swing. "If you feel anything odd in your mind just... Do whatever it was you did when I tried. He'll be subtle though so be prepared, you might not even realise it's happening."

He would agree but he wasn't exactly sure _how_ he had created that room. It was if it was already there and he has gotten pulled into it too

.

"Now there's no point worrying, it's not like you can decline, just go. Come and see me after you've spoken to him. Don't die." She said as she walked back to her desk and sat down, now engrossed in her book.

Harry didn't need telling twice and walked out, putting the meeting to the back of his mind. Hopefully Hermione could take a break when he surprised her.

* * *

The bell above the door to the bookstore rang and Hermione's head instantly rose from the book she was reading. Sitting on a small wooden box in between two shelves where she was sorting old books she stood up and quickly made her way towards the front counter; brushing the dust off her apron as she went.

"Good afternoon-" She began automatically as she placed the book she was holding under the counter where she could pick it back up later. She stopped as soon as she saw Harry standing in front of her with a smile.

"Hi." Harry said as he approached the counter, looking around the shop as he did.

"Harry… Not that it's not nice to see you but aren't you supposed to be at the castle?" She asked in confusion.

She tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ear and realised what a mess she must look like, covered in dust and her hair in a messy ponytail.

"She sent me away for awhile, she's busy with something." He said with a shrug. "I'm not complaining, although I have to be back at four. Do you get a break?" He asked.

Hermione nodded and quickly walked out of sight towards the back rooms. She quickly told Mr. Richards she was going to have her break and walked quickly back to the front of the shop. Untying the apron strings from around her waist she pulled it up and over he head and neatly folded it before setting it on the counter. "Let's go, there's a small park area just down the street." She said, motioning for Harry to follow her as she left the shop.

Harry followed her and together they walked in mostly silence. Once they were at the park, which was mostly just some benches, tables and grassy areas they sat next to each other on a small bench. She noted that he seemed to want to be close to her, but she still hadn't fully forgiven her.

"You've got my break to tell me why I shouldn't be angry with you." She said out of the blue, causing Harry to pale considerably in the cool air. She dug her hands into her pockets and leaned back into the bench.

Harry stared down at his hands and she watched them in interest as he tried to think of what to say. "Oh. Well…" He began, clearly not thinking they would be discussing this so soon. Hermione wanted this dealt with if they were going to move on, she didn't want secrets but if their had to be then she wanted a reason.

"I want to tell you Hermione… I really do, but; I can't." He said quietly, still looking down at his hands. "My feelings for you have nothing to do with it though! I mean, I do like you; a lot. I just can't tell you."

"But why, if feelings aren't a problem then why can't we be honest with each other?" She asked softly, not wanting either of them to be angry.

Harry sighed. "When I tried to tell you, I'm not sure exactly, My words just don't form. Athena said anything we discussed in the tower couldn't be told to anyone… I guess there's some magic spell on the tower or something so when I leave I can't say anything? I really don't know, she's not the best at explaining things."

Hermione thought on that. If there was a spell at work then she guessed it would make sense why he couldn't tell her. If whatever Athena was having Harry doing was protected by it then he physically couldn't share any information on it.

 _He could tell me about the Patronus Charm though._

She let out a sigh, not really understanding any of it but not wanting to be mad at him forever. "You know, you're a right pain to love." She said quietly but loud enough that Harry could hear. She saw him smile, the same smile he seemed to reserve just for her. It always brightened her day.

"You know, we still haven't really talked about it." Harry said, his voice quiet too.

"About what?"

He turned his head to look at her. "Us, being a c-couple and things…" He said, his ears turning a little red at his stumble.

She smiled bashfully and nodded. "We're a couple." She said assertively, letting him know he didn't have a choice even if he disagreed. Feeling confident wasn't very natural for Hermione but recently the feeling was increasing.

"And you're not angry anymore?" He questioned, hoping she wasn't.

"Oh I'm still angry." She said which caused Harry to look worried for a second. "But not at you." She added giving him a small shove.

Harry slipped his hand inside her jumper pocket and held her hand. She smiled brightly and together they simply sat and talked, mostly about Hermione's time so far in the bookstore until they had to go their separate ways again.

* * *

His good mood didn't last long once he let Hermione get back to work and made his way back to the castle.

Harry's hands were almost white as he held them tightly in fights by his side. He stood outside of Lord Voldemort's door, the man who ruined everything for everyone. He was now expected to meet the man face to face and treat him like he was the better man, like that was the right thing to do.

He heard the lock on the door click and it slowly swung open. He tried desperately to remember what Athena said and thought of that dark room as he walked into the large office room. The soft red carpet caused his steps to feel almost springy before coming to a stop in front of the large dark wooden desk.

Lord Voldemort, the man behind the desk didn't bother looking up until Harry cleared his throat.

"Ah, _Harry._ " He said, placing the beautifully carved quill down. The hairs on the back of Harry's neck stood on end, the same feeling he had when he first met Athena.

"You called me here?" Harry asked, trying to keep his voice even as he struggled to contain his emotioned. "Sir?" He added, not wanting to push his luck too much.

"Indeed I did, take a seat." Voldemort waved his wand lazily and a comfortable black leather chair appeared just in front of where Harry stood.

He couldn't quite help himself as he stared at the white carved wand Voldemort held.

"Do you find wands interesting Harry?" Voldemort asked, noticing as he watched Harry sit down.

"I wouldn't know sir, I've never had one." He said.

Voldemort smiled. "Yes I noticed your talents at the Trials. To use such magic with a wand… Well, it is certainly a great skill." Harry simply nodded in reply. "Would you like to try, Harry?"

"Sorry? I don't understand."

"My wand, Harry. Would you care to try it out?" He asked again, flipping his wand around so the handle was pointing towards him.

"Do you let anyone try your wand?" Harry asked, thinking of a way out of touching it. He was getting a horrible vibe from it.

Voldemort smiled again, the same sickening smile like he knew everything. "Of course not, a wand is very personal to a witch of wizard."

"Then why let me try it?" Harry said.

"Take the wand, Harry." Voldemort said, almost commanding him to do so.

Without much of a choice when sitting in front of a mass murder he reached out slowly and took a hold of the wand. Almost instantly, as soon as his hand fully grasped it he felt something. He couldn't describe it, but it was hot; almost excruciatingly so. His hand felt like it was burning but he couldn't let go.

He changed a look up at Voldemort who looking at him questioningly, judging his reaction. Harry steeled his emotions and slowly placed the wand back on the desk in front of him. The air felt cool on his hand, even though there were no marks.

"An… Interesting reaction I must say." Voldemort said, leaning back in his seat. He didn't pick his wand up again, but simply looked at it before fixing Harry with a piercing gaze.

Harry's palms were sweaty as he looked back definitely. Neither breaking eye contact for close to a minute.

"What does my daughter have planned for you Harry?" He asked in a commanding yet not-hostile tone.

Knowing this was a loaded question he tried to keep his face as blank as possible. "To be her Protector. That's what she's employing me for, since the Trials."

"Nothing else?" He asked innocently.

"No, sir."

"I see. No bother, I'm sure I'll find a use for you along with my _esteemed_ daughter."

Harry didn't quite know what that meant but nodded anyway, the sooner he was out of there the better. So far it had gone to plan and he hadn't felt any presence in his mind. He had a feeling that Voldemort knew he wasn't telling the truth however. He wasn't above feeling scared, the man ruled the country.

"How long have you known about magic?" He asked suddenly, out of the blue.

"Not very long, the past month is when I've been actively using it for more than making a light"

Voldemort steepled his hands in front of him as he looked at him carefully. "And yet just recently you produced magic most adults wished for." He said. "How can you produce such feats?

"I don't know, I generally think what I want to do and it.. Happens." He said simply, feeling like an idiot.

Another staring match ensued before Voldemort asked a question Harry hadn't thought about in awhile.

"No family, Harry? No one you hold dear to you?" He questioned.

Harry instantly knew the answer to that, but refrained from speaking it; at least fully. "No family, and no one dear. Just myself."

"But what of the girl that was with you at the Trials?"

 _So he already knew the answer._

"We're just basically two orphans making the best of what we can."

Harry could have sworn he saw Voldemort smirk but the placid expression was once again on his face. "A pitty. It must be tough to not remember or know your parents."

 _That's rich coming from the guy I'm sitting in front of._ Angry thoughts swelled up through him.

Thankfully Voldemort stood and made his way around Harry's chair, placing a hand on each of his shoulders. He could feel the icy touch through his robes.

"Do you know who I am, Harry?" He asked to which he nodded. "And you know what I'm capable of?" Harry nodded again before wincing as Voldemort's hands gripped his shoulders tightly, digging in slightly.

"Then let this be a reminder to you. You may _work_ for my daughter but in reality you work for me. Don't think she run's this place Harry, she is but a tool for a job. The same goes for you. Cross me and I'll kill you and everyone that's even spoken a word to you." With that he released his shoulders and sat back down at his seat, resuming his work. Harry was getting sick of all the death threats.

"You may leave for now." He said. Harry was thankful and got up to walk to the door as quickly as he could, his blood having gone cold. Wrenching the door open a little too forcefully he walked through and closed it behind him. Once closed he let out a large held breath and placed a hand on the wall to steady himself. He thought he had kept his anger and hatred well in check but it was harder than he thought.

Taking a few deep breaths he continued on through the corridor, making his way to Athena's tower room.

Once there he opened the door, not bothering to knock and stepped inside.

Athena looked up at as he entered.

"Good, you're here. Change of plans you're going tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Harry asked, his mind still in Voldemort's office.


	8. Chapter 8 - Change of Plans

**Change of Plan**

Chapter 8

* * *

Harry sat at the foot of the bed in his house, thinking. He was already dressed, the elegant looking robe seeming to fit him better every day. He honestly wasn't sure if he should be glad or worried. It was early, 3am early. A quick glance over his shoulder confirmed Hermione was still fast asleep behind him. Her quiet breaths and tiny patch of drool always brought a smile to his face. She was going to be mad at him, and it wasn't if she found it; it was when. Hermione had a knack for finding things out, not that it was unjust. He just physically couldn't tell her but for once, he wanted too. He was done with having secrets, at least from her.

Turning back around and staring down at his boots he thought about what he was about to do. The first major point was that he would be going explicitly against Voldemort and after his impromptu exchange with him yesterday, he didn't particularly want to do it.

 _I really, really regret the hold she has over me._ He thought with a sigh.

Standing up he gave Hermione one long look, as if he was trying to burn the image into his brain. They had only recently gotten together, and just thinking about that brought a smile to his face again. She was always there when he came home, and hopefully he wouldn't mess his job up.

Walking quietly out of the bedroom and closing the door, making sure it didn't squeak, he hurried down the staircase. He closed the front door behind him and waited for the noticeable _click_ of the lock falling into place, a habit he was keen to continue. Harry scrunched his eyes shut and concentrated on his destination; Athena's room. With a subtle crack just as the wind picked up Harry vanished from the front doorstep.

He landed, up right this time, in the center of the large room. Athena had taken him through a very extreme session of apparition and thankfully he had picked it up quickly. The cost was that he felt slightly weaker than yesterday, having almost crashed as soon as his body hit the bed that night. Hermione probably wondered why but it was out of his control.

"You're early." Athena said from behind him.

Harry spun around, slightly startled by the voice but had to quickly avert his gaze when his eyes landed on her. A revealing black nightie was all that was covering her pale slender figure. He had to admit that she was beautiful, and had the body to match but he wouldn't look if he could help it.

"It's rude to stare Harry, and dropping in unannounced? I could have been naked." She said, a smirk on her face as she teased him; knowing full well he was only 5 minutes early and she was the one that told him to meet her before he started.

She moved closer to him, until she was standing in front of him. Gently, she placed both her hands on either side of his face and forced him to look at her. His eyes seemed to almost drill into hers as he refused to look anywhere else. That unearthly green dancing in the soft candle light. Her right hands moved towards his lip and her thumb gently pulled down on his lower lip.

"I don't want any failures, Harry. Do you understand?" She said in barely a whisper.

Harry often wished she shouted more. When she spoke quietly it was if the very air was cooler on his skin. A threat that was both open and subtle. He simply nodded, not trusting himself to say something he would regret. "Good boy." She patted his cheek firmly before moving past him and taking a seat behind her elegantly carved desk.

"Now," She began, her serious tone back in full force. "The plan is simple, and any dunderhead who could get by without a wand could pull it off. You know how to break the apparition ward, it's not very powerful as most wouldn't even think about going there without a wand; but it was still created by my father so don't hesitate. Find my mother, bring her back here and if all goes well. I might even _reward_ you."

Harry wiped his sweaty hand on the side of his robe. "I know." He said, mustering up his courage without letting it show on his face. The last thing he wanted was for her to see him as weak, like he couldn't do it.

She smiled at him, he head tilting ever so slightly. "Don't keep me waiting Harry."

Her smile was the last thing he saw before he vanished from her office and he was sure it would haunt a few of his nightmares to come. A strong resistance pushed against him as he concentrated on his destination but he forced his way through the way Athena had taught him, it really did help him that seemed to have a large amount of magic within him. It worked the same way as her own room in the castle tower.

His feet landed on hard, rough rock and for the first time in awhile he felt cold, and not just a chill from when Athena touched him. It was a chill that seemed to seap into his bones. Never one to boast about something, especially something he was still new too but he was confident in his patronus charm. He wasn't sure why but it felt, _right_ , to cast it. A magic that was created by happiness should seem foreign to him, but it didn't. Perhaps because Hermione was his main source of happiness? Or perhaps it worked better if that target was someone you loved. He would probably never find out.

With the top buttons on his robe fastened as to block out some of the wind and cold he carefully moved forward. Athena hadn't mentioned any traps or alarms and he briefly wondered if they existed in the magical world. He pressed on slowly, subconsciously allowing his magic to monitor any possible dangers, he was slowly getting better at it. As he walked he couldn't quite help but stare up at the huge monolith that was Azkaban prison. It was made of large black bricks with small patterns etched onto the outside faces. For a building that had probably been there for centuries it looked almost brand new. Seeing it close up instead of from the shore line really spoke wonders to how incredible it was, even thought it was super spooky. There were no lights, just hollow looking windows all over the faces of the walls.

Suddenly another chill went down his spine and Harry instinctively turned around, his hand stretched out before him in reflex. What he saw terrified him but also seemed familiar in a strange sort of way. His head was pounding ever since he stepped foot on the rocky island but he assumed it was the pressure he was under. The large cloaked creature was slowly drifting towards him and Harry could make out 2 arms that seemed to be made of rotten bone, the thin bony fingers stretching in anticipation.

Thinking of the time when he kissed Hermione, and she kissed him back flooded him with magic. He didn't seem to need to shout the incantation out, which he was glad for as it was quite the mouthful and using that particular memory had produced the best results. A light blue dome that sparkled in the moonlight surrounded him, stopping the creature in it's tracks. His hand was shaking almost immediately, but from fear, not exhaustion. Magic was taxing for him, no more than what he thought for the next witch or wizard but he couldn't make any mistakes today.

The creature seemed to attack the misty dome with hunger and it wasn't long until more showed up. Some clawed at the shield and tried to get to him. Creating a strange distant echo inside the dome that only Harry could hear. Others opened their mouths and were literally sucking the happiness out of his shield as fast as he could maintain it. It was a horrifying sight but he couldn't help but watch for a moment as the horrifying monsters tried to get to him. He could almost feel what the creatures were doing in the pit of his stomach.

 _Hermione loves you._ He kept repeating that sentence in his head and it was helping tremendously as he slowly walked towards a large stone door which he took for the entrance as there was nothing else visible. The mass of creatures surrounding him seemed to press on him like a combined weight and his breathing began to quicken.

Eventually, and what felt like an hour to Harry he reached the door. Not knowing a way to open it properly, and honestly not caring either, he forced some magic through his now sweaty hand that was resting on the smooth stone and waited. He had found after some experiments late at night that he could often cause objects to collapse if he pushed enough magic into something. He wasn't sure why it happened, or if it was normal; but it had it's uses so he didn't question it all that much.

A few minutes later and the stone door started to crack loudly. It started with long hair long fractures and slowly turned into larger cracks that split off at all angles. The stone crumbled around his hand, the loud sound echoing through the night air.

His head was pounding ever more as he stepped over the rocks and made his way inside. It seemed to be a long corridor with another door at the end of it, thankfully with a large metal ring on one side. Harry quickly ran over and pulled on the ring, forcing the door open before quickly darting inside. He pulled it closed behind him and promptly slid to the ground with his back against it breathing long, sharp breaths. The door shook slightly as he could feel the creatures scraping at the door but unless he didn't have a patronus around him he was safe.

Once he knew he was safe for the meantime he let his spell drop, his arm felt like it was filled with lead but that was the least of his worries. His hands and face were sweaty and he was shaking a little. Looking down at his hands in front of him he laughed nervously. He had underestimated the Patronus Charm and it's prolonged effects on him. It seemed the longer he maintained it the more it drained him of magic, but that could just be of the situation he was in. He doubted other people had to ward off 50 dementors at once.

Pushing himself off the cold stone floor he took stock of his location. It resembled a small office, and he imagined it would be somewhere where the guards would have to take the prisoners in and out. The place was covered in dust, so much that it was obvious no one had been here in a long time. Stacks of old parchment littered the few counters and a straight back chair was knocked over onto it's side on the floor in the corner, as if someone vacated it quickly.

There was a large map on the far side of the office and Harry took his time looking at it. You could unfold pieces of parchment or extend them to show different cells or parts of what Harry realised was a giant fortress. It amazed him that anyone would still be alive after how barren it looked. It wasn't until he saw a kitchen area marked on the map that he realised people might still be working here, feeding the prisoners to keep them alive; or at least not dead.

Harry eventually found who he was looking for. MacMillian, that was the surname had given him. The only clue he suspected she actually had. Having scanned the prison layout, including all the hidden rooms and cells in the mess of parchment; he only ever saw one person with the last name MacMillan.

"27th floor... Melinda MacMillan, west wing…" He said out loud, tracing the path he would need to take with his finger. That particular section looked almost deserted apart from a few other names he didn't recognise.

A loud bang caused him to look around and over his shoulder. It wasn't the first time, the creatures out side seemed to be desperate to get to him and he assumed some were even trying to force their way through the door. It was unnerving but he kept his cool and continued searching.

After twenty minutes of not finding anything else to do with Melinda McMillan he gave up and resigned himself to actually going up all those floors and finding her himself. Taking a look at the map one last time he slowly opened the heavy wooden door opposite the one he came in through. It was deathly silent on the other side of the door and the chill he felt outside was a breeze compared to the numbing cold that seemed to penetrate his bones inside the prison. He could even see his breath as he walked with quick strides down the corridors and up the stairs.

It wasn't until the six floor until he came across more Dementors. He wasn't surprised, there were many openings all over the corridors, letting the sea breeze in through. Probably to torment the prisoners. Harry found that he could force his Patronus barrier along the corridor and the Dementor had nowhere else to flee apart from out the small stone openings on the side of the huge walls. It was draining, but he didn't think he could continue if he had multiple Dementors all clawing at his barrier like before.

The seventh floor, tenth and twenty. All produced the same, looked the same and _felt_ the same. How anyone survived in this place he didn't know. The cells were half rotten and most had lifeless bodies in. Some were open and had at first caught him off guard until he noticed the shivering body that sat rocking forwards and backwards in the corner. It must have realised someone was there but when the person looked up towards him Harry couldn't see a shred of humanity left in the man's eyes and quickly moved on.

More Dementors were finding him more frequently and for the last five floor's he almost had to have his Patronus shield up the entire time, even having to expand it a little to give himself some breathing room.

"27…" He read out with sharp breaths as he gripped the wall. The stone number was carved into the wall and there were what looked like human claw marks beneath it. It was safe to say Harry was having a rough morning. He wondered if he was to exhausted to apparate out after he had found the cell but if push came to shove he knew deep down he could rely on his magic to get him where he needed to be.

This floor looked a lot emptier than the others, even if they just included bodies. He almost gagged when he found the first one, but there was nothing he could do and moved on. Some had silver trays with what looked like moldy pieces of food on. He wasn't sure how the food appeared, or where it appeared from but it was at least keeping some of the prisoners alive. Whether they deserved that or no, he had no control over it.

When he approached cell number 384 he let out a nervous breath when he saw the silver platter with some food on, signaling that she was still alive. But he was wrong. As he came around to face the bars properly he saw the half decomposed body lying against one of the walls. The mouldy food was untouched and there was a large blood stain on the rough wall of her cell. Fighting down the urge to throw up at seeing her head he turned away and steadied himself on the wall. His shield flickered slightly and he felt the pressing force of despair for a brief second.

Not being able to stand any longer he let himself fall back against the wall and slid down to the floor. She sort of resembled Athena, even half decomposed the similarities were there. He had to think about what he was going to say, he doubted Athena was just going to accept that her long lost mother was already dead in cell when there was food.

Knowing what she had done didn't help either. The most likely scenario was that she hit her head against the wall until she was no longer able to stand and died of blood loss. A horrible way to go but as he thought about it, would he rather slowly die in this place or take his life with his own hands and on his terms? Either way, it was horrible. He hung his head as he thought about what to do, the sounds of the Dementors were all around him, threatening to take his soul the moment his shield dropped or wavered significantly.

"...James…" A quiet voice said from somewhere close by. Harry ignored it at first, having heard prisoners muttering as he passed. "Yes… James…" The voice said again and Harry raised his head ever so slightly. The voice sounded, familiar, and he wasn't sure why. The pounding in his head was getting worse as he looked around for the continued mutterings.

Eventually his eyes landed on an extremely old looking man in a cell not far from where he was sitting. Standing up slowly he carefully walked towards him and crouched down in front of the man so they were at eye level. "I… I knew it, one day…" He muttered.

"I'm sorry?" Harry asked, not understanding what he was saying.

"James… Wizard!" He said louder, making Harry jump a little.

Harry peered into the cold, grey eyes of the wizard in front of him. "I'm sorry sir, but I'm not this James person." He said quietly, not really understanding why he was here talking to the man instead of getting back to Athena as quick as possible.

"No… No… Not James. No, Potter…" The wizard said, his eyes scanning the empty space behind Harry.

 _Potter? Another name?_

"I'm not Potter either." Was all he could say. His head was _really_ hurting and he rubbed his forehead, debating whether he should just walk away.

"H-Harry…"

His head snapped up and his piercing green eyes met the old wizards in confusion. The man knew him, but he had also called him other names.

 _Could it still be confusion? Or did the man really know who he was? And who was James and Potter?_

"Yes, I'm Harry. Who are you?" He asked the question.

The man didn't respond however and was instead pushing some loose pieces of stone around with his fingers and muttered quietly to himself.

"Sir? Who are you?" Harry tried to ask again but the man simply looked at him. The blank grey eyes were almost discomforting to look at but Harry had a _feeling_ he knew this man.

Deciding quickly he made up his mind and would take the man with him. He couldn't take him back to Athena, she would probably just kill him. So he thought about his own home. Hermione was probably at work by now so it would be empty.

 _I could hide him in the now spare room? Find a spell or something for concealment.._

It was the best he could come up with. He had to act quickly however as the effects of maintaining the Patronus was becoming increasingly more painful. Harry grabbed the metal bars of the cell and pushed his magic quickly into it. His shield wavered once again but once the two large bars were splintered apart the shield came back, although it was considerably weaker. Flashes of black contaminated his peripheral vision as he helped the old man to a standing position.

Harry swung his arm under the man to support him concentrated as hard as he could with the remaining concentration he had and thought of his living room. With a tremendously loud _crack_ , the pair vanished.

* * *

Hermione had just turned around to walk back to the sofa with a plate of toast when she screamed, dropping the plate and falling backwards onto the floor as two bodies fell from thin air and crashed onto the coffee table.

Nervously she stood up and peered over the back of the sofa. An old man who was wearing essentially scraps of fabric was collapsed on top of Harry who looked to be passed out as well.

"H-Harry?" She asked tentatively, not understanding what he was doing and who the stranger was.

Unfortunately she didn't get a response, the pair simply continued to lay unmoving on the remains of the coffee table. Hermione decided to get a closer look so she walked around from behind the sofa and crouched down next to the pair. Harry looked incredibly tired and sweat covered his face and hands. She placed the back of her hand on his forehead and could feel how hot he was, a lot more than usual.

 _Can wizards get sick?_ She asked herself. She had never seen Harry with a fever or flu before even though she had gotten sick a number of times when they lived on the outskirts of London.

Her next question was the man on top of him. "And who are you?" She asked as she gave his hollow cheek a small prod. He looked on his deathbed and hadn't had a decent meal in years. Taking a chance on Harry, and that he wouldn't bring some crazy lunatic into their house, she heaved him off Harry and laid him down on the sofa. Thankfully the man didn't weigh much and she was able to do with it without much difficulty.

A quick run upstairs to find some blankets and a few spare pillows and he was comfortably asleep on the sofa, or as comfortable as she would have been. It was impossible to tell on an almost dead person.

"Now what to do with you…" She said, trailing off as she stared down at her boyfriend. He was too heavy for her to carry, unlike the man who was just bones. Harry however was a lot more filled out.

In the end she grabbed him by the ankles and started to heave him out of the living room. It was a comical sight as she continued to drag him down the hallway and then start on the stairs. At first she was trying to be gentle, not knowing what Harry was doing or had done but in the end it was him who scared her half to death and broke the living room coffee table, not to mention the damaged books that were placed on it. She let out a large sigh as she thought how she was going to explain the ripped pages to her boss at the bookstore.

Harry's head gentle bounced off each step as Hermione dragged him upwards, having to take a break every few steps as she wasn't the strongest.

Eventually she had gotten him into their bed and pulled his sweaty robes off of him. Pulling the duvet up and tucking it around him she wondered what else she could do.

"What have you been doing Harry…" She said to the room as she nervously wiped the sweat from his forehead with a small hand towel.

* * *

Harry felt a strange sensation, similar to pins and needles. He could feel his hands but they felt strange, there but not there at the same time. His magic pulsed fiercely in his chest however, he could feel that more than anything else. It seemed stronger, somehow; as if it had grown a little.

Another round of light tapping to his forehead brought his conscious back to the present and he jolted awake and sat up quickly before falling back onto the pillows when his head made contact with a hard object.

"Ow ow ow!" Hermione mumbled from the floor where he saw her clutching her head, tears already in her eyes.

Realising he had just headbutted her he sat back up and apologised. "I'm so sorry Hermione… Wait, what am I doing in bed?" He asked nervously and looked around. He was in their bedroom, but where had he been before? Realisation quickly hit him and mornings adventure quickly came to the front of his thoughts. A quick look out of the window and he noticed it was getting dark.

 _Shit_. He thought, debating on what to do.

"A-Are you okay?" She asked, having stood up but still clutched her forehead with one hand.

Harry didn't have time to explain and quickly pulled the duvet back and swung his legs to the side.

"Harry? I think you're ill… You need to get back into bed." Hermione tried to reason, pushing him back towards the bed but Harry wouldn't listen. "I've got to go, I'll be back later!" He yelled, pulling on his jeans as he left the bedroom.

Hermione stood still with one hand on her forehead and the other clutching a small blue towel, thoroughly confused.

Although his core felt strong, he himself felt week and after a couple of times of trying to concentrate to apparate he realised he couldn't. Through heavy breaths as he ran towards the long path that led to the castle he thought back on how much magic he had actually used without really realising. He had maintained the shield for far too long and had made it far bigger than he had needed it to be. It was wasteful, and he made a mental note to work on that in the future.

 _If you have a future._

After twenty grueling minutes he made it to the castle and then Athena's door. He clutched his chest and leaned on the stone railing outside of it, thinking about what he would say. She would be angry, that was obvious; but how angry was the question. Tentatively he reached for the door handle and pushed the door open and stepped inside.

There was a brief look of surprise in her eyes as she sat behind her desk before turning to pure anger and Harry saw her wand rise in slow motion. The bright green spell that shot from the end of it however came at full speed and he had to hastily drop to the floor, his chest hitting the ground hard and knocking the remaining breath he had out of him.

"W-Wait!" He tried to yell, wanting to explain but she wasn't giving him a chance and fired more spells.

Not having a clue what they could be, and frankly knowing that any one of them could kill him he tried to keep dodging. He tried and failed to raise a shield multiple times, the feeling of magic came as naturally as it ever but did nothing would form.

Athena was getting angrier with each miss and was becoming reckless with her casting. A blasting spell caused some rubble to fly in all directions and she had to quickly shield herself before getting hit by loose rocks from the wall. Harry took the opportunity and launched himself at her, knocking the wand from her hands and pinning her wrists down as he held himself above her.

The anger in her eyes died down almost immediately but Harry knew her better than most and didn't relinquish his hold on her. "My, my Harry. I didn't realise you were so, _bold._ " She said mockingly.

"Just… Just listen." Harry breathed out, still struggling to breath normally after running all the way here.

She didn't seem to care however and carried on. "How cruel, making me wait so long Harry. I've been worried sick. Killed, I thought you were… What was a girl with a broken heart to do?" She faked sadness as she looked away from his eyes, a tear falling down her cheek.

"I'm not that late… It's only just getting dark!"

Athena looked back into his eyes, all fake sadness now eradicated. "Three days, Harry. _Three_ days, you've kept me waiting. Do you remember what I said?"

"W… What? No, it was just this morning…" He tried to explain, confused at what was going on. Had he really been out for three days?

His grip slackened and Athena took full advantage buy bringing her leg up and pushing against his chest, causing him to fall backwards and onto his back. She quickly picked up her wand and sat squarely on his chest with her wand held to his throat.

"You've no idea, Harry. How tempted I was to visit your little _pet_ for disobeying me." She said as she brushed the dust from his hair and pushed her wand into the side of his neck more. "But I thought, being as incredible as I am, that I would give you a little more time. It was your first real assignment after all. But how long should I have given you, a day? Two days? And lowe and behold you returned after three! _Three. Days._ "

Harry wasn't liking where her tone of voice was going. It was dripping with fake sweetness and it caused a chill to spread through him every time her roaming hand touched a part of his face.

"Now. Should I just kill you, or torture you? Or maybe torture your little house warmer in front of you?"

"I can explain... " Harry began to say but she cut him off by placing a finger over his lips. "Sssh, Harry. You're going to say how hard you tried, right? How bravely you thought? _How you didn't return with my mother because you were too weak!_ " She yelled, a few red sparks shot out of her wand, burning his neck.

Leaning back with a sigh, which pushed her chest out towards him she laughed quietly and for a split second Harry wondered if it wasn't her usual psychopath laughter or if she was trying to hide her own pain. "She wasn't… She was gone." Was all he could say, the mangled image coming to mind. "There wasn't much to bring back. I must have collapsed at home, I used too much magic."

Athena leaned back over, her head now in front of his again. "Oh? A believable story. So she was dead?" She asked, to which Harry nodded.

"Did you go to my father?"

 _Huh?_ He thought, wondering where that had come from.

"Of course not!" He almost yelled as he tried to suppress the odd feeling that came over him with that answer. It wasn't that he was lying, but those words weren't his own. She dug her knees into his side as he yelled.

The cold air was slowly filling the room from the two large holes in the walls and Harry could see her breath in the air being so close to his face.

"And you found nothing else about my mother?" She asked, her tone deadly serious.

"No." He replied simply, which seemed to satisfy her as she pulled her wand from his neck and placed it back up her sleeve. Placing both of her small hands on his chest and beant slower until her lips touched his. Harry tried to move away but for a girl she was strong and held him in place with her body until she was done with the kiss. "I missed you. Don't do that again, OK?" She whispered into his ear and stood up from him and looked around the room.

Pulling her gown around herself more she walked off towards her private room. "And I want this room spotless by the time I'm done changing Harry, or this time; you'll really regret it." She said loudly and slammed the door shut behind her.

* * *

 **A/N: I'd just live to apologies if I seemed to have gone inactive. I had some projects at work that took most of my time. I would greatly appreciate any feedback to this story so far in the form of a review or PM. Thank's again everyone.**


	9. Chapter 9 - Truths Unfold

**Truths Unfold**

Chapter 9

* * *

"Are you done?" Athena asked as she finished attaching an earing to her ear. A soft green jewel that caught the light. "Good. Help me with this." She asked, turning her back to him. It was completely open, a black zipper hanging open at the base of her back.

Harry, who was exhausted and collapsed on the large sofa tried to avoid where he was looking but noticed the smirk on her face as he approached her. Knowing full well she could have used magic and not being particularly in the mood after almost being killed he pulled the zipper up quickly and sharply causing Athena to gasp.

He was expecting some repercussions but she simply smiled her usual fake smile at him. "What's wrong Harry?" She said in an innocent voice. "Are you mad at me?"

Athena played with the front of his robe, straightening out the creases as she gently pushed her chest into his, her cleavage fully on show but Harry refused to look. His head was still pounding ever since he went to that island and he really wasn't in the mood for Athena's games.

"Don't you think this is a bit inappropriate? I have a girlfriend too." He told her, pushing her back gently.

Athena didn't like that.

"Harry… That memory of yours is going to need a little bit of work isn't it? Don't you remember? No matter what, you'll be here for me and do what I say. If I want to play with you just for my own amusement, I will." She said all with a smile still plastered on her face which he recognised as a danger.

She took a step forward again and finished straightening his robes.

"Good. Now," Athena said, all sweet pretense gone. "Today we're going to see someone. Who it is is none of your concern, all you're to do is stand outside and kill anyone that comes near. Got it?"

Harry nodded, even though there was no way he would actually kill someone like that but decided he had to go along with it anyway.

Athena walked over to her desk to pick up her wand before taking Harry's hand in hers and twisted on the spot.

* * *

Harry didn't come home that day, or the day after. Hermione only received a very brief letter explaining that he had be escorting Athena around for reasons he couldn't explain. While it irked her to no end that he never explained anything she decided to not mention it when he finally came home.

She was sitting with her back leaning against the storage cupboard under the stairs as she read a book on different kinds of wizarding medicine. Occasionally she thought she heard the lock turning and would look up expectantly, hoping Harry would walk in. But the door didn't open and she'd return to her book with a glum expression. As she was finishing a chapter on a strange plant called Spindle Root a low voice caused her to look up and towards her right, where the living room was.

Quickly standing, she moved into the living room slowly and peered around the door frame. The man that had appeared with Harry hadn't made a peep since he'd gotten there. A few whispers in his sleep but apart from that he was barely conscious when he accepted food and drinks that Hermione served him. She assumed that if Harry brought him, it was for a reason and his health had been dangerously close to death. Even in a short few days, Hermione's careful ministrations had already had an impact on the old man. His face wasn't as hollow, although he was still very slim and there was a hint of colour in his skin.

The man noticed her head poke around the open door frame and he smiled, or at least she assumed he tried because it came out a little strangely.

"Miss…?" He asked, his voice still very quiet and horse. He tried sitting up but his arms were shaking with just the simple effort of lifting his own weight, however little that was.

Hermione rushed into the room to help him, pulling one of the spare pillows and placing it behind his back. "Granger, Hermione Granger. Do you know where you are?" She asked when he thanked her kindly for helping him.

He shook his head slowly, his eyes a little glazed still. "No… But it feels like a very vivid dream…" He said, taking a look around the living room. The old man looked back at her with his grey eyes. "This isn't a dream, is it…?" He asked.

She was straining to hear him but she shook her head after she worked out what he had said. "No, you were brought here. I'm… Not sure where from, but you weren't in the best of shape. I've tried to do as much as I can but I really think you should go to a hospital or something Mr…?"

"O-Ollivander." He breathed out.

"Well, Mr. Ollivander, do you have anyone who can come and see you?" Hermione asked, moving the book she had placed on the floor to the small side table beside the sofa he was laying down on.

He looked down at his hands as . "What y-year is it?" He asked, causing Hermione to frown.

"1998." She replied and he frowned for the first time. "Sir?" But he didn't reply, he simply kept looking at his hands as they shook and mumbled to himself. She tried to ask him again but his cold eyes were suddenly on hers.

"Fifteen years… Fifteen years, in Azkaban. Fifteen…" He trailed off, once again mumbling to himself.

 _Azkaban, the wizard prison? Was that where Harry had been? And this man… He was a prisoner?_

Hermione shifted uncomfortably and kneeled down on the floor. "My boyfriend, he's the one who brought you here. It's our house, in a village called Hogsmeade. Does that make any sense to you?" She asked, hoping to get some answers.

He nodded, which was a good sign. "Harry." He whispered and Hermione stiffened.

"T-That's right," She said nervously. "He's at work at the moment, but he's the one who brought you here… I'm not sure why exactly."

The man only nodded. Hermione noticed how his eyes seemed to be in focus and then he would suddenly not pay attention or didn't actually seem to be in the room. Was it a side effect of being at Azkaban? She had only ever read about it, and that was briefly when she found out what Harry was trying to defend himself from.

"Potter!" He suddenly cried out, making her jump and she had to put a hand behind her to steady herself. "Yes… Potter, Harry; yes." The old man mumbled as he played with some loose strands of fabric from the white duvet and slowly leaned back against the pillows and closed his eyes, mumbling until his breathing turned soft.

Not wanting to wake him Hermione got up and walked back out to the landing and sat back down, once again resting her head on the cool wood of the staircase. He had mentioned Harry, but then also another name. Who was Potter? And what did it have to do with Harry?

The wooden table that held some letters and keys was in front of her and she stared at the small book that was carved on wood and held on a small metal chain. Deciding there and then she quickly stuffed her shoes on and grabbed her key and the book keychain and left the house. Being careful to close the door quietly on her way out. She wasn't usually this rash but the frustration with Harry not coming home and never seemingly able to give her answers she was high strung.

 _If he's not going to give me answers, there's nothing stopping me getting them myself._

Her quick walk had placed her right outside the bookstore she worked at. Quickly deciding she wasn't going to hold back she walked through the small alley off to the side and made her way around the back. _Strictly_ speaking she wasn't supposed to use the shop whenever she liked. The owner had given her the intricately carved book as a way to get in when he wasn't around so she could still manage the shop. It was a nice feeling, that a wizard trusted her enough to do that and she promised herself she would work doubly as hard to make up for her unalloted time in the store.

She pressed the keychain into a book shaped groove, just like the owner had demonstrated and a soft click came from the wooden door. A quick push and she was inside with the door closed. She dropped her keys and keychain on the counter and almost ran towards the isle she knew held books on family histories.

It didn't take her long to find the book, having almost resorted the entire shop herself, with some help from her boss. She reached up on her tiptoes and pulled down the book titled _Generations of Witches and Wizards_ , knowing that if Harry was a wizard then that meant his parents must be too.

It was a heavy tome, and a little dusty from being on one of the top shelves. Hermione pulled one of the step stools out from a corner and sat down, opening the large tome on her knees and flicked through the pages one by one. There were a lot of witches and wizards, she had found; and they spanned back since records began it seemed. Some included family trees, she noticed a noticeably large one was called _Black_ which looked to be a surname. Potter, in her opinion didn't sound like a first name so she scanned the pages for Potter as a family name.

She nearly freaked out when she found it, almost missing it from turning the pages too quickly but there it was, at the top of the page. _Potter_ , it read. In gold lettering just like the previous one she had looked at. It was large, but not as large as _Black_ it seemed. Placing her finger on the page and following the family tree that spanned two pages she followed it until she came to two names. Lily Evans and James Potter sat near the bottom of the tree where one name branched off from them.

"Harry Potter." She read out loud, her forefinger resting on his name.

He had always said he couldn't remember his family name, and while Harry wasn't an uncommon name the fact that the old man had mentioned Potter and the last potter born had the name Harry it had to be true.

Leaving the book open at the page she placed it to the side and picked out more books, going on a hunch. Books on recent wars and events were what she was looking for and ten minutes later she sat down heavily onto the step again with a pile of books on her lap. She went through them one by one, carefully reading sections that looked like it held information.

It wasn't until the fourth book that she found anything. She found stories of the Potters, supposedly fighters of the light that worked alongside Dumbledore. She recognised the name from posters and stories in the papers about him leading the rebellion that Voldemort was crushing.

 _So the Potters were with Dumbledore?_ She thought briefly before continuing to read.

Her heart was torn as she read that the Potter's were assumed dead in their last fight against Voldemort and his followers, any hopes of possibly reuniting Harry with his parents fluttered past as if in a breeze. Dumbledore was supposedly still alive, and fighting back as best he could from what she read in the papers. She wondered if there would be a way to talk to him, but she didn't know if things were monitored or if it would get Harry into trouble. He was working for Voldemort's daughter, after all.

She herself was honestly happy with her life currently, she had a nice house, a good job and Harry. The fact she was accepted in the wizarding world with her seal was an icing on the cake.

"Seal…" She said as she rubbed where the pin _should_ have been. "Huh?" She quickly stood up and looked around her, wondering if it had fallen off but thinking back she realised she had never put it on and she started to panick. Harry had been explicitly clear that she have it on her at all times. It was starting to get dark outside, not realising how long she had been at the store.

Still in a panic she picked up the books and placed them back in their rightful spots and rushed back to the counter to pick up her key and keychain. Doing a mental checklist she turned off all the lamps she had turned on and left through the backdoor, making sure to lock it.

There were few people on the street now and she tried to not look guilty as she exited the alleyway and made her way back towards the house. It wasn't far, and if she could get there she could stop panicking and if she was lucky; Harry would be back and she could tell him everything that she had found.

"Hey, you; turn around." Came a gruff voice from behind her.

Hermione spun around quickly, internally cursing herself when she saw it was a regular guard. She didn't know why she was picking picked out now, maybe because she anxiously looked suspicious. "You a witch?" He said simply, taking a step closer to her. She hesitantly took a step back and nodded. "Yes." She lied, not really understanding why she would.

"Present yer wand." The guard said, holding out his hand to her. Hermione took another step back, her nerves getting the better of her. "Yer wand, miss." He repeated, more sternly this time and she noticed he held his own at his side. Dark black wood, straight as an arrow. She couldn't help but stare at it and wasn't really paying attention when she noticed it starting to rise as he pointed it at her.

She also wasn't prepared for his body to fall in her direction. Shrieking, she jumped back as the guards stiff body hit the stone pavement hard like a falling log in a forest. Glancing around nervously she noticed the few people in the street had stopped and started whispering amongst themselves.

"Come with me." A soft male voice said from behind her and she felt his hand close around her wrist and pull her into a dark alley. She hadn't even noticed the man approach, or where he had come from. The man pointed his wand backwards quickly and fired a bright white spell that hit the collapsed man's body, nothing visible happened however. "Now this may feel uncomfortable." He said without much warning and turned on the spot.

When her feet hit sudden ground she nearly collapsed, holding her stomach with both hands and tried to push the thoughts of being sick away.

"I apologise Miss. Granger but this has actually worked out for us-" He didn't get a chance to finish before Hermione fist was pressed into his stomach. The moment she heard her name alarm bells went off inside her head and her body had moved instinctively. Completely caught off guard and the air being pushed out of him he fell back against the wall and Hermione took off through the open door she spotted on the far wall. She didn't know where she was running. She was in a large house of some kind.

Room after room she ran through, clutching her mouth with one hand and pushing and wrenching open doors with the other. It wasn't until she pushed open door and ran inside where she came face to face with the man she had seen on all the posters did she freeze. Noticing him instantly as Dumbledore, the man with a million galleon bounty on his head. She took a few shaken steps back, reaching out behind her for the door handle but when her hand felt only air she spun around and noticed the door was closed and the handle had vanished.

"Please don't fear us, we're here to help you." Dumbledore said as he sat down in a plush straight back chair. "Please, take a seat." He gestured to the chair in front of him and she looked at it questionably. "I promise you Miss. Granger, no harm will come to you while you're here."

"How-How do you know my name?" She said, still rooted to the spot. "Why did you bring me here?"

The old man, who looked ancient from the look of him pulled his wand from his sleeve. Hermione flinched as he flicked it towards her and she felt the feeling of the door handle pressing against her back. Not even giving the old man a chance to change his mind wrenched the door open once more and made to run through it.

Dumbledore's voice stopped her in her tracks, however. "Harry's in danger you know." He said calmly but his voice carried over to her perfectly. When she didn't continue running he continued. "I can answer any question you have, I only request a little of your time and I promise you'll be taken back to Hogsmeade, if you wish."

"Who was that man? The one who brought me here?" She said from the doorway. Her voice was confident, or as much as she thought it could be; but inside she was terrified.

"Frank?" Dumbledore questioned. "He's a member of the Order, The Order of The Phoenix. A group dedicated to stop Voldemort. I will confess he has been keeping an eye on you since the Tournament."

Hermione turned around, anger on her face. "He's been watching me?"

"For you own safety, take earlier for an example." He said.

She wasn't sure how he already knew about that, but guess Wizards had a much faster way of communication than she ever could manager.

He gestured to the seat in front of him once more. "Please." He said in the same gentle voice as before.

"You'll take me back afterwards?" Hermione asked before moving.

"You have my word."

Deciding it might be worth the answers to her questions she moved back into the room. The door stayed open this time and didn't close. As she sat down she saw Dumbledore slide his wand up his sleeve once more and fixed her with a kind smile.

"As you're probably aware. My name is Albus Dumbledore and anything you have heard about me is most likely a lie." He said. Hermione noticed for the first time that he was wearing a bright purple robe and together with his blue eyes and half moon glasses gave him a very odd appearance. "What is true, however, is that I do indeed lead a force that Voldemort calls the resistance. I'll make it clear that what we are resisting is himself and the system he is creating. Not the muggle or magical world as a whole."

Hermione nodded, deciding to trust what he told her for the moment.

"Your name is Hermione Jean Granger, correct?" He asked and she raised her eyebrows at how he could know that. Dumbledore simply chuckled. "My dear, you're indeed still new to the wizarding world. We have many ways of finding out information. For example, the book you so kindly sold to Frank included a hair. That was all we needed, and the correct spell of course, to give us all the information about you. Tricky to do, I might add."

While Hermione had decided to be on guard and ready to bolt at a moment's notice she realised it was deflating a little. Just from his laugh, which reminded her of her grandfather's laugh, she realised he was telling the truth; that he wasn't a threat.

"And Harry," She replied, speaking up finally. "You know about him too?"

Dumbledore nodded, again with a smile but this time it held sadness too. "Harry was probably, and forever will be, one of my most foolish mistakes."

"A mistake, Sir?" Hermione asked, confused at why he would say that.

"You're close to him, if what I've been told is correct?" He asked, and Hermione could tell there was another question unsaid in there.

She thought about if she should lie or not, but decided she had nothing to hide and it wasn't like they were keeping it a secret.

"We just actually started d-dating." She stuttered and her cheeks started to go red when she tripped over the word. This however seemed to bring about a sparkle in his eyes. "I'm… Glad to hear that, overjoyed actually."

"Miss. Granger," Dumbledore said suddenly, pulling her attention back to him. She was trying to make her blush go away by staring at her knees. "What do you know about Harry?" He asked.

Hermione thought on it for awhile and although she did know a lot about Harry and some of the things he had been through, she couldn't quite say she _knew_ him. Fully, at least. "Honestly? Not a lot, he's pretty guarded at the best of times but recently we were just getting by day to day so I didn't really have any reason to delve into those kinds of questions. He's not very open with _feelings_ either. I l-love him though, if that's what you're asking." She said the last sentence a little louder than she had wanted too but stood by her confidence in that regard.

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and sighed. "I feel I should probably apologise for some of his _issues_ , as it were. Although I agreed with the decision of his mother then, and still do now, I feel perhaps there may have been another way to keep him safe." He said with a thoughtful expression on his old face.

"What do you mean, Harry's a wizard, he would be safe anywhere?"

"Harry isn't who you think he is, as far as a regular wizard goes."

 _That's for sure._ She thought, trying to hide her smile.

"He has, and always will be; a target." Dumbledore said, fixing her with a piercing look. "While I can't tell you exactly why just yet, I can tell you that Harry is destined to destroy Voldemort."

 _Huh?_

"Every since he was born, a shadow he himself cannot see has loomed over him, guiding him. At a young age, when the war was getting serious it was decided Harry's memories would be erased, a blank slate if you will." He said gravely.

 _What?!_

"If he himself didn't know who he was, how could he follow a path he didn't know to take? He would make a new path, one filled with some hardships of course. But it wouldn't follow Voldemorts. The fighting was only getting worse you see, more and more people died every day. Good people, brave people… Even though I believe what we chose was correct, I'm forced to believe that perhaps a destiny cannot be changed." He finished, hanging his head a little.

Hermione was full of questions already. But she was so confused she didn't know where to start.

"What do you mean?" She decided to ask, not completely understanding what the old wizard was talking about when it came to destinies.

"We know about his new role in the castle, that he's working under Voldemort's daughter. The fact he is so close to Voldemort is evidence enough that his path has once again shifted towards him. This isn't something he can control. The two will always be brought together and eventually, there will be conflict."

"And we can stop it, right? Harry's pretty good at magic and things but he's just a teenager. Wouldn't it be better for you to face him. If what I've read and the stories were true you could defeat him, right?" Hermione asked, her excitement slipping into her words.

Unfortunately for her, Dumbledore shook his head and sighed. "I'm an old man, Miss. Granger. I've been around for much longer than I originally though and it's starting to take it's toll. I'm only getting slower, and Voldemort isn't. With added rituals he get's more powerful by the month. The most I could do now would be to hold him off, which is what I've been doing for many, many years. I know it's insensitive of me to say, but I've had enough. We've all, had enough."

Hermione opened her mouth to argue the fact that they're adults, and just because it was getting difficult didn't mean they should give up but Dumbledore held his hand up and she held silent.

"Do not think for a second we're abandoning Harry, or anyone for that matter. He has the hardest job of all, one that will come at great cost to him. We will be here for as long as we can and give him as much as we have. We've not been silent all these years. Battles, information, deaths and sacrifices. We've all held a part in it. We cannot live forever. Harry's burden is large, even if he does not know it; but he can make the world a better place. I believe, when the time comes; he will do it." He said

She let his words sink in and went silent, playing with her jeans. Dumbledore didn't press her to say anything either. He was looking at a towering bookcase beside them and Hermione found she couldn't stop looking at them either. For five minutes neither said anything until Dumbledore once again spoke.

"Do you like books Miss. Granger?" He asked, having noticed she too was looking at the many books.

"I love books." She quietly replied.

Dumbledore nodded with a smile on his face. "Many things can be learned from them, history can be recorded and events re-told-"

"Why does Harry have to make Sacrifices?" She suddenly blurted out, cutting the wizard off. She didn't know why, but that was all she seemed to be able to think about after hearing it. Why should someone who tries so hard for others be the one punished? It wasn't fair.

"In the wizarding world have you come across sacrifices? Not in the barbaric form of offerings to god, but a magical one?" At seeing her shake her head he continued softly. Wondering how far he should go. "Harry doesn't know his parents, even though they're alive."

Hermione stared wide eyed at the old wizard, not believing it after just reading it in a book the same day. "But Sir… I've read that they're gone?"

"A tale they fabricated." He said. "Only those that come and go in this house know the truth, it's their home after all."

"They're house, Sir?" She asked, not entirely sure if he meant the Potters.

"Potter Mansion, the now heavily fortified home for members of the Order. It was very generous of them. The reason they wanted to be known as dead was because when Harry eventually finds out about them he'll be able to make the decision without hesitation. After all, how can someone fear a person dying if they know them to be dead?"

Hermione frowned heavily, completely lost now. "I don't understand… They're going to die? Or are they are already dying?" She asked.

"The first is most probably, the second; yes in a sense. It all comes back to Harry you see. To erase the existence of someone, especially a child of who they are comes at a great cost. It is essentially, and with how horrible it sounds, killing them. You aren't who you were, anymore. It wasn't just his memories that were taken. It was his ambition, his moods, how he likes his eggs in the morning. All of it, is now gone. Replaced by something else. To do that, requires great sacrifice. There are what wizards and witches consider _old_ magic, but magic is never old; only forgotten. The spell they used traded their own son for their own life, in doing so they gave him a link to Voldemort and increased odds of survival and strength due to what they've willingly sacrificed."

Dumbledore breathed in a shallow breath and looked Hermione in the eyes.

"When Harry defeats Voldemort, which will happen no matter how hard we try to keep them apart, which we've already seen; his parents will die.

* * *

Hermione was in a daze for the rest of the afternoon. They had gone on to talk about other things, including general life and how the wizards and muggles used to co-exist peacefully. There was even a school that taught children from the age of eleven about magic. She couldn't help but smile when she imagined a young Harry going to school to learn about magic. If that was her, it would have been the best.

What troubled her more was the fact that Dumbledore had asked her not to inform Harry about any of what they had talked about. That there would be a time to tell him. She didn't think it was fair, keeping him in the dark. But when he gave her a choice, even if he had put it kindly, if she would rather remember the engagement and not tell Harry or they could pretend that day had never happened.

She had opted to remember, of course. That one conversation opened up a whole world of questions that needed answers. But the fact of the matter was, she had learnt so much about Harry that it would pain her to forget it. Who would have guessed that he was destined to bring down their current tyrannical ruler? Or that his parents would give that kind of sacrifice for their son. Her heart pained for the Potters, a horrible fate.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the front door click and open. She raised her head to hear better, today's events causing her to panic slightly; briefly wondering if that Guard had somehow found her. But when she heard Harry call out to her, she breathed a sigh of relief and quickly exited the bedroom and walked quickly down the stairs, her socks slightly here and there on the carpeted stairs and jumped into him, skipped the last few steps.

He quickly grabbed her, only stumbling back a step. Harry hugged her back, holding her up a little on her toes.

"Hi." She said simply, happy to finally see him. It didn't help her emotions were all over the place now.

Harry gave a small laugh at the strength at which she had her arms wrapped around him. "Hi, I'm sorry. I should have sent more letters and come back sooner. Athena... " He paused for a second and Hermione briefly wondered why. "She's just being a tyrant lately, it's annoying but there isn't much I can do about it." He finished, stroking the top of her head.

They stood like that for awhile. In each other's arms in front of the door. Hermione always enjoyed these moments, especially now they were together. The familiar warm feeling she always got when being around him did wonders to calm her.

"What were you doing, Harry?" She asked quietly.

She felt him shift uncomfortably and she knew before he even opened his mouth that he wasn't going to tell her.

"Nothing interesting, just some guard duty things." He told her.

Hermione unwrapped her arms from him and gave him a nod and a smile.

Harry was looking down the hall and his eyes suddenly went wide and he started to stride towards the living room having completely forgotten about the mysterious man when he felt Hermione grab his hand from behind, stopping him in his tracks.

"H-He's asleep, and he hasn't made much sense anyway since you brought him. It can wait until the morning. Right?" She asked, hoping he wouldn't go in there. She hadn't come up with a plan about it yet, and she hadn't told Dumbledore about the man either. She planned to get some answers that Dumbledore hadn't given her but she also had to make sure nothing was said to Harry. She had made a promise to Dumbledore and she planned to keep it, as long as it kept Harry safe.

It was dangerous for him to have certain knowledge to things, especially in his current situation. And Hermione had also agreed that Harry was someone who would go after something with just a scrap of knowledge.

"Let's just… Go upstairs, you must be tired?" She asked, giving his hand a soft pull.

Harry looked back at the living room door and then back at her.

Her persuasion had worked and the pair walked upstairs, hand in hand and when Harry closed their bedroom door he looked at Hermione in the low light, the faint light from outside glistening across her smooth hair. She noticed him staring, and her loose fitting top attached his eyes too, staring at her visible shoulders and neck.

"Harry?" She asked quietly but was a little surprised when she sounded so lustful.

He moved closed and put his hands on her waist, his eyes boring into hers. Her lips parted automatically and Harry leant in, kissing her passionately as he wrapped his arms tightly back around her. She wasn't sure what was bringing it on, not that she was complaining. Ever since their first kiss she craved them in the back of her mind. She also wanted to show Harry that she really did love him.

He gently lifted her up and Hermione sank into the foot of the bed as Harry leant over her, both their breathing heavy and laboured. As he leant down to kiss her again Hermione couldn't help but think.

She felt like a terrible person.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm really sorry about the short chapters recently. There's so much stuff I want to cram in but I feel like it would be super bloated. Please let me know what you think. I've also had a lot of people say they actually really like Athena as a character and I've been wondering if I could perhaps write a story with a similar personality. I'll be honest when I first created her she was just supposed to be a distraction for Harry and not a main character. If anyone has any ideas on a story which would fit that kind of character, please let me know and I could possibly create one. Thank you again for anyone that reads this.**


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